More to Life
by KikiOnHiatus
Summary: Plain and simple, she wants more but is he willing to give it to her? Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal nor its characters! AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Hope you like it! *nervous laugh***

* * *

It was 11 PM when Olivia finally made it to the gym's parking lot. She'd had a long day at work then gotten home to take care of her child. After she was able to put him down an hour ago, she'd asked her best friend and next door neighbor Abby, to look over him in case he wakes while she went to workout. She usually tried to workout at least three times a week so that she'll be able to keep up with the high demands that her life called for. Olivia was awake at 5:30 AM every morning, she had to be up early to get both her and her son ready for the day and then drop him off by her mother some days or sometimes at his father's mother. She was a kindergarten teacher for a charter school that started at 8 AM. The hours were ungodly but that was what paid the bills for the small two bedroom apartment she lived in with her son. At the age of 28 this wasn't the ideal life she'd envisioned for herself. By this age she'd anticipated that she would've owned a home, have a higher paying job and already been married with at least one child; fortunately for her one part of the dream was fulfilled. For the past two years she has been reveling in the bliss that is motherhood.

Clearing her mind and steeling herself, she silently prays that she wouldn't run into any unwanted people as she opened the door to the gym. She wanted to get her exercise in and get out within an hour time max. She first makes her way to the side wall and hangs up her car keys on the keys rack then proceed to the warm up area where she did some stretches to relax her muscles. After five minutes of warm up, she was officially ready for a good cardio workout on the elliptical.

Olivia found a vacant one in the middle of the room and climbed onto it. She inserts the earbuds into her ears before pressing play on her Pandora workout station. After setting the elliptical to the desired mode, she began her workout, blocking out everything and everyone.

* * *

Fitz came out from the laundry room after starting a load of towels. He hated working the night shift but he had no choice, the schedule was rotated every month. He's been working as a personal trainer for almost eight years at the same gym, exercise was an integral part of his life so it was no rocket science that he'd chosen it as a career or arguably a job.

He checked his phone and saw the time as 11:30 PM, smiling at the time he decided to walk around the gym to see who may need help before he officially ended his shift at 12. The gym was 24 hours accessible but he wasn't required to be there past 12.

He smiled friendly at the young woman who was batting her eyes at him as she pretended to be lifting weights in the weight area. Fitz was always surprised by the amount of women who came to the gym with the sole intention to pick up guys and vice versa. So many had tried to do so with him but he always turned them down.

Walking closer to the section containing the cardio equipment Fitz' heart almost stops when he sees _her_ on the elliptical. It had been a month since they'd last seen each other in person, they still communicated via phone because they had to and even then it was terse communications. Before he could've stopped himself he was walking over to her.

Knowing that she wouldn't notice him immediately as she was clearly in the zone, Fitz took the time to admire her in her black skin tight running tights, red racer-back tank top and black Nikes on her feet. Her hair was slicked back in a sleek ponytail showing off her beautiful face. Her petite frame was beautifully toned in all the right area compliments to his training in the bedroom and gym.

From her peripheral view, Olivia senses someone staring at her and it caused her to falter on the elliptical which resulted in one of her feet slipping off the pedal.

"Shit!" She yells, her hands holding on tightly to the handles in attempts to break her fall. She was about to release the handles due to the awkward position she found herself in when she felt strong hands gripping her waist. Immediately, Olivia could tell whom those hands belong to.

Holding her weight against his body, Fitz asks with concern evident in his voice, "Are you ok? Does your foot hurt?"

Finding her bearings, Olivia extracts herself forcefully from his grip keenly aware of the eyes on them and replied through clenched teeth, "I'm fine," but immediately yelps when she applied weight onto her right foot.

"No you're not fine, Livvie, let me take a look at it."

Olivia shakes her head in protest she didn't want him touching her, she didn't want anything to do with him.

"So stubborn," Fitz says, before scoping her off of her feet into his strong arms. Fitz gives her a stern look, silently telling her not to refute him as he carried her off to his shared office space.

"You don't have to be a caveman, I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself, thank you," she spat once they were in the privacy of the dimly lit room. She was seething mad that he would humiliate her like that, carried her off like a petulant child.

"Shut up," Fitz growled lowly before kneeling in front of her to exam her ankle for any swelling.

"Ouch! That hurts you know," she speaks in a high pitched voice as he presses down on the inner part of her ankle where it was mostly affected.

"I'm sorry. I'll grab some ice." Fitz walks a few feet to the freezer containing ice packs, he takes out two and returns to his spot in front of her.

Olivia sat mutely on one of the black armless chair as he tended to her foot; in the meantime her eyes took him in. During their time apart her heart couldn't help but miss him terribly, but she wasn't going to allow her heart to make any more decisions where the two of them were concerned — even though he looked as handsome as usual. Her heart couldn't help but be infatuated with his bearded face. He always wore a stubble in the past but now he was rocking the full bearded look and she loved it. She took in his muscular arms or guns as she used to refer them as, straining against the tight fit of his black Under Armor compression T-shirt. His toned thighs also emphasized against the slinky material of his black basketball shorts. He smelt of the familiar shower gel that she'd grown used to.

"Who's watching JT?" His question broke her from her thoughts.

"Abby," she answered.

"Oh," was all he said as he continued to put the ice on her ankle for 5 seconds on and 5 seconds off.

The two remained quiet after that, both having too much on their minds. Once he'd finished icing her injured foot, Olivia gets up and eases some of her weight onto it, satisfied that it wasn't paining that much she turns to him and says, "Thanks. I'm gonna leave now."

"Livvie —"

Olivia interrupts, "I think the Livvie days are over."

"That's because you want it to be over. Everything was fine!" He retort passionately, feeling his anger rising.

"I'm not having this argument again." She chuckles humorless before turning her back to him. Just like she'd internally calculated, his hands grabbed onto her arms forcefully but yet gently.

"What, Fitz?! What?!"

"Can we talk? It's been a month since you made me leave my home. Leave my son."

Olivia looked at anywhere but his face, she couldn't bear to see the brokenness in his eyes. This was their life, a constant battle for the past 5 years since they'd been together. This wasn't the girl that her parents had raised, Fitz caused her to push aside every beliefs that she once held sacred.

"You see your son every day," she tells him coolly.

"For a few hours at a time? Is that how you want him to grow up?"

Olivia finally looks up into his blazing blue gray eyes, she could tell that he was angry. Sighing deeply because this was what their relationship had turned into for the past year. Arguments day in and day out. They both were at different points in their lives. For one Olivia wanted to be married, she'd grown up in a Christian home, her father was actually a pastor but Fitz didn't believe in marriage. Before Fitz, Olivia lived her life according to the good book but as soon as he'd entered into the picture everything changed. First she'd fallen deeply in love with him, then there was the premarital sex and it was so good that she'd agreed to move in with him, then there was Jackson Thomas Grant aka JT— their son. Olivia had thought that since she was pregnant Fitz would've proposed but that never happened. He always said that he didn't believe in marriage because of his parent's. They'd had a nasty divorce and ever since then his view on marriage was thwarted. She'd debated with him countless times that not all marriages are the same and he said the same thing each and every time, "We have something that works. It's not broken so there's no need to fix it."

She thought that she could settle for being someone's baby mother and girlfriend for the rest of her life but in reality she couldn't. She tried to settle for him but she wanted more, she wanted to be his wife, his equal but that wouldn't happen if he wasn't willing to give himself fully to her. Several times she wondered if he was cheating on her and if it was the main reason behind his supposed anti-marriage views but she was positive that it wasn't. He was simply one of those people who didn't believe that a certificate meant anything. He was as committed to her as if they'd been husband and wife.

Clearing her thoughts, she refocused her attention on Fitz.

"You're free to spend time with our son at any time. I won't stop you."

"It's not the same. I miss my family."

"Fitz," she begged as she felt him drawing her body into his. He was preying on her weakness.

"Tell me if you don't miss us being together," he whispered against her ears.

She shivered in his arms at the close proximity of his body. Like usual their bodies fitted together like a gloved hand. Things with Fitz was too complicated, he made everything appear easy but it ended up complicated.

"We can't," she moaned as he placed the familiar kisses on the column of her neck. This was the reason she'd avoided him for the past month, opting to drop JT off at his mother on the days he was watching him rather than to his new apartment. He knows her weaknesses and the power he has over her.

"Yes we can. You're still the love of my life. I'll never stop loving you, sweet baby," he whispered in his deep velvety voice.

Olivia was a goner when he squeezed her ass through her tights. Immediately, one of her legs wrapped around his waist so that she could feel his erections against the center of her core. There was no denying that she loved this man.

Fitz dropped one of his hands from her ass and holds onto her raised leg. He walks her to the nearby wall and braces her against it.

Olivia heaved from the lack of oxygen and the impact her back made with the wall. She looked up at her 6'2" lover with hungry eyes before bringing down his mouth to connect with hers. The kiss was rushed, tongues fervently dueling with each other as they tried to quell the burning aches in their loins.

Fitz palms her full mounds in his hands and squeezes them, feeling her hardened nipples against his flesh. They pull apart roughly to drag air into their lungs before recommencing their tongues and lips rendition.

When they'd had enough of dry jumping through clothes, Fitz swiftly pushes down his basketball shorts and boxer briefs, setting his manhood free. He does the same with Olivia before wrapping both of her legs around his waist.

As always the impatient lover, Olivia fists him with her hands and lines him up with her dripping core. Fitz wastes no time sinking himself inch by inch into her.

"Ahhhh," she cries out as he fills her to the hilt. He allows her enough time to adjust to his size before he begins to move in a rhythmic motion.

She holds on tightly around his shoulder for leverage as he moves inside of her. She licks his ears and sucks on his neck as she feels his penis doing things to her that only he knows how to.

"Don't you like when we do this every night, Liv?" He groaned against her ears.

Of course she did but that didn't mean it was right. She wishes so much that she could've turned her conscience off so that it won't bug her but alas she couldn't.

"Answer me!" He swiveled his hips in such a way to hit her sweet spot.

Olivia moaned and he did it again, "yes!" She finally screamed.

It didn't take more than five more thrusts to push her over the edge, the tight grip that her walls placed around him caused him to also spill his essence soon after. They both stayed pressed against the wall tangled together.

After a few minutes, Olivia cleared her throat when he wasn't moving. His soften member still inside of her.

He finally relented and stepped away from her, easing her legs to the floor.

Olivia looked away from his penetrative eyes as she pulls her underwear and tights back up. Fitz does the same but he looks at her while he redressed.

"Can we talk now?"

"I can't, I have to get home so Abby can go home. It's already 12," she says, anxiously looking at her watch.

"Can I stop by later?" Fitz asked optimistically, thinking that things had somewhat changed since they had sex.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Fitz," she explains honestly.

Fitz runs his hands exasperatedly through his hair.

"Fine, whatever."

Olivia sighs, reaching out to touch his hands but he recoiled from her touch. The rejection stung.

Turning around to head out the door, she says, "Good night, Fitz. Don't forget to pick up JT, tomorrow morning."

"Never," he countered.

"Ok."

Olivia walked out the office and went to the keys rack to grab her car keys. All the way to the parking lot she chastised herself for what she did. She was so out of it that she didn't thought to freshen up in the bathroom; she had to settle with his fluid seeping out of her as she made her way home. She wanted to cry because she'd allowed herself to fall back into sin when she didn't want to but it was too good to resist. She just wanted to live a life that was glorifying to God.

Surprisingly she made it back to her apartment without a single tear shed. She thanked Abby for watching JT before rushing towards her bathroom to take a shower, in there was when she broke down. She cried her eyes out under the running shower. She was torn between loving a man with all of her heart and wanting to live a godly life. For years she thought she could've done both but that was impossible when you're unequally yoked. God knows she loved Fitz but he was on a different page than her. She wanted more from him but he wasn't willing or ready to give more.

Once she'd felt cried out, Olivia got out the shower, dried her skin, changed into a comfy pair of pajamas pants and white T-shirt before trekking into her son's bedroom. She kneels down at the side of his big boy bed with the guard rails up and smiles. Seeing him, a perfect mixture of her and Fitz always give her peace. He had his father's curly dark brown hair with her eyes that was a few shades lighter. His skin was the perfect shade of caramel that covered his chubby figure. He was the sweetest little baby she'd known but she could be bias. She strokes his hair gently and it causes her to smile from her heart. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for him, she loved him with her entire being.

Feeling herself choke up, Olivia starts singing one of her favorite Sunday school songs. When life becomes overwhelming for her, she tries to think of the simpler days when the biggest decision was what she wanted to eat for lunch.

_Jesus loves the little children _

_All the children of the world _

_Red and yellow, black and white_

_They're precious in his sight_

_Jesus loves the little children of the world _

She sings this over and over until she feels a peace in her heart. Finally getting up, she presses a soft kiss to her son's forehead before making her way to her bedroom which was once hers and Fitz'. She closes her eyes and prays to the Lord for forgiveness before passing out into a deep slumber only to be woken up at 5:30 AM where the constant struggle to do the right thing exists.

* * *

**A/N: So I have no business writing a new story/one shot because I'm a busy bee between working full time and school. This idea came to me when I ran into a hot trainer at my gym the other night (hehe). So after the idea came to mind I was like, hmm, let me put in that they have a child. And then I took it a step further and have Olivia be a pastor's kid. This story/one shot will definitely not be super religious because I'm not about that life. I'm a Christian (shocking? I know right, based off of some of the things I've written you may've not guessed so. HA! No judgments) anyways, I always wanted to write a story that portrays the struggle of being unequally yoked in a relationship. So many of us go through this in real life and the struggle is real. It happens in romantic relationships and in friendships. How can two walk together unless they agree? **

**Thoughts on Olivia throwing in the towel after five years of being together just because Fitz wouldn't put a ring on it? Can you relate to her? Do you want to see more of this or simply leave it as a one shot? **

**Leave those reviews. :). Also, don't forget my other stories. I'll update both tomorrow. **

**Xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Backed by popular demand, I've decided to make this into a multiple chapter story. Thanks for the wonderful reviews, follows and favorites. Hope you enjoy this new installment.**

* * *

6 AM on the dot the following morning, Fitz pulls into the parking lot of the apartment complex that he once called home. Putting the car into park, he turns off the engine and sits, making no move to get up soon. His mind reeling a hundred thoughts per second as he surveyed the familiar two story building. Flashes of the last time he was there plagued his memory.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_"Fitz, what are we doing?" Olivia asked after they were retired to their bedroom for the night._

_Fitz sighs deeply as this was an ongoing question that she'd been asking as of late. _

_"Liv, not tonight please. I had a hard day and I just want to sleep."_

_"Why is it that every time I tried to talk about our future you never want to?"_

_He exhales deeply before slipping underneath the covers of their cool sheets. _

_"I'm sorry, we can talk," he pacifies with his hands propped underneath his head looking up at the ceiling. _

_Olivia feeling content with his answer, finally takes a seat on the opposite side of the bed. _

_Rubbing her recently lotion hands together in nervous actions, she says, "We said that once our finances were stable, which they are, we'll start house hunting."_

_Fitz blinks his eyes a few times thinking that was a fair topic of discussion. "Ok, we can do that. On our next day off we can drop JT off at your parents, so that we can visit with one of our local realtors." Fitz was relieved that this was all she needed to talk about, this he could talk about. Comfortable topics. He was however, taken aback by her next question, it left him spinning._

_Timidly asking, Olivia asks him something that has been weighing on her ever since they started living together. "When are we getting married?"_

_Fitz rolls onto his side feeling uncomfortable by the question, he could recall the handful of times that she'd asked the very same question. The first time being when they'd moved in together, the second when they'd learned that they were expecting, the third time was when JT was born and now she'd ask the question again, making it the fourth time. _

_Olivia always felt desperate to be the one who brought up the topic, she doesn't understand why he couldn't do it. Besides from the terrible example that his parents had set for him as a model for marriage; she was confused that that alone would hinder him so much that he won't take the next step with her. Sometimes she felt that something was wrong with her and he was simply killing time. _

_"Liv..." He trailed her name, trying to diffuse the bomb that's about to blow up. _

_"Fitz, it's been 5 years now, don't you think I have the right to a proper answer besides you eluding the question all the time? Tell me, why after 5 years of being together, why wouldn't you marry me? Is it something wrong with me that you wouldn't commit fully to?"_

_He got defensive when she implied that he wasn't fully committed to her and he told her so. "I'm fully committed to you, I'm fully committed to our family. I don't know why you always bring up something I don't believe in. Why is a ring and a certificate that important?" His voice was now elevated as the passion of their argument intensified._

_Olivia could feel her throat choking up as she replies to him, "Because, it's important to me! I want to be married because that's what I believe is the right thing to do. I'm tired of playing house. Also, I'm tired having to introduce myself as your girlfriend, mother to your child. Am I going to be in my sixties and still be your girlfriend, Fitz? I feel like you're stringing me along, and because you know how much I love you, that you expect me to accept it."_

_"Don't pin all this shit on me, Liv, because I can remember as early on in our relationship you knew how I feel when it came to marriages. Your problem is... is that, you weren't able to change my views. You thought you could've changed me because you got me going to church, well newsflash, I'm the same guy."_

_Listening to him say that opened the floodgates and tears started falling from her eyes. She knew that what he was saying had some truth to it. She did try to change his views on the subject, but like he said it hadn't changed. _

_Taking a steadying breath, she says evenly, "well I can't do this anymore."_

_"Can't do what?"_

_"This. Me, you."_

_"Excuse me? You just don't decide that you can't do it anymore after 5 years of us being together, and on top of that, we have a son. You don't get to throw in the towel because I don't share the same marital views as you."_

_"I want more out of life. If you're unwilling to give me more, then I don't see no purpose to this relationship." Olivia surprised herself when she said that. In the past when she'd brought up the topic she was never this brass. She wished that she was truly "ok" with just being his unwed companion, but she wasn't. It made her unhappier each special holiday when she never received a ring in a box. It stung a whole lot that he wouldn't even consider to even commit to her with a promise ring. So she decided that she wasn't going to do this any longer. Some might even ask," what the point is since you've already been together for so long?" She even ask herself that._

_"Liv..." Fitz stood to his feet and walks around the bed to her side. _

_He collects both of her hands into his and squeezes it. _

_"I'm unhappy Fitz. You of all people should know how much being married means to me." Sometimes she cursed herself for fallen in love with a man who doesn't see life the same way as hers or share the same beliefs. Until Fitz, Olivia had lived her life according to the good book. _

_A ton of brick hits his chest when she confessed that she was unhappy. From the time he'd met her all he ever wanted to do was make her happy, but for the life of him he couldn't do the one thing that would make her the happiest. Fitz felt unworthy of her and often times he felt as though he'd tainted her and corrupted her with his ways, which in some ways was true. _

_"Liv, I'm sorry but this is who I—"_

_"Just stop, I can't do this..." Her voice shaky with unshed tears. Olivia didn't think she could possibly go through another year of their relationship going nowhere. "I think we should go our separate ways for now, because we both want different things out of life. I'm sorry Fitz but I'm not willing to settle any longer." _

_Realizing that she was serious, Fitz immediately says, "It doesn't have to be like this. I can change."_

_"Fitz, you had five years to 'forcefully' change, that's how you put it, and you haven't, so why do you think you'll change now? I'm done trying to force my impose beliefs on you. I'm sorry that I even did so in the past, but I'm done."_

_He was hurt that she said that he couldn't change but even more devastated that she'd given up on him. Instead of telling her all of this, his anger won over his vulnerable conscience and he stormed out of the house. Only to return the next day to find most of his things packed which ensued a huge fight, probably the biggest one of their entire relationship. That was when a lot of things really came out. The good, the bad and the ugly. Him not wanting to marry her wasn't the only thing that she had festered up. Fitz learnt a lot of things that he didn't know about himself that day. One, he doesn't take life seriously, it's a joke for him and on top of that he's at the same point in life like he was when she'd met him 5 years ago. _

_It hurt to hear all of the things you were doing or didn't do when your ego was being shattered, so he launched after her, telling her that he's not the only one who has changed. He told her how much she'd become a constant nagger and some days he purposely stayed at work to avoid her bickering about her discontented life. _

_The fight was so nasty that they waked Jackson. They only stopped when they saw his little figure walking towards them with his favorite teddy bear in tote crying his eyes out. _

_Olivia told Fitz he needed to go and the last thing he did before he left was hugged and kissed his son before heading through the door to his mother's house where he stayed a few days before finding his own place. _

_That night Olivia hugged her son to her bosom and cried her eyes out. Her world was falling apart and she didn't know what to do. She loved him with all of heart but she was tired of sacrificing a piece of herself each time she was with him. People would say that she was ungrateful or she didn't know what a good thing she has, because many married people are unhappy, and getting married really changes nothing. But for her it would change everything. For one, she would be free to express her love for him without harboring a guilty conscience afterwards. She felt stuck in a rut and so desperately wanted to get out. But how can you get out when the one person you love with all your heart was in the center of said rut holding your hands._

* * *

A small part of Fitz thought that she just needed space to get over all of this but that wasn't the case. For the past month and a half they only spoke in relation to JT. She completely avoided him and it hurt so badly that all Fitz could do was mask his feelings. As time went by he felt like their small break was more of a permanent break up than a temporary time apart. Instead of reaching out to her, panic and fear crippled him. He's afraid that she was going to tell him that the time apart made her realized that she truly didn't want him back, and she was better without him. But last night she'd given him some hope when they had a quickie in his office. Sex was never their problem because they always communicated well, too well with their bodies. However, when it comes to words and expressing how they felt it was always complicated.

Clearing his mind from the unpleasant thoughts, Fitz hadn't realized that a few tears had escaped his eyes until he felt a droplet at the corner of his mouth. Conscious of this, he wipes both eyes. "Shit," he mutters as he checked the time, seeing that he had been sitting outside for the past twenty minutes. He swiftly swings open the car door, and in one smooth motion retrieves his 6'2" figure from the hulk green mustang. Taking the stairs two by two he makes his way to the second floor in record time.

Instead of using his house keys, he decides to knock on the front door. He hears Olivia shouting that she's coming.

A few seconds later she opens the front door in just a slim fitting black trouser and a white tank top.

"Hi," she greets coolly.

"Hi," Fitz returns, smiling at her.

"You could've used your house keys, you know?"

With pursed lips, he replies, "no, I don't know."

Olivia looks up at the ceiling and decided to not go there with him. She backs away from the door and gives him space to enter. Just like before, his presence filled out the apartment in a way that only he could. A feeling of nostalgia hits her as she reminisced on them sharing a home.

"Daddy!" The small voice of JT calls from his high chair, breaking up his parents' awkward stance in the foyer.

"Hey, bud," Fitz immediately bursts into a beam at the sound of his son's voice. He walks into the small dining room and smiles at the presence of his son eating his oatmeal and fruit, which was mostly on him than in him.

"What you eating there?" Fitz asks in a chipper tone, advancing towards him to kiss his chubby cheeks.

"Ooo-ta-ma-eel and fute," he says his version of oatmeal and fruit.

"Mmm, sounds delicious. Can daddy have some?" Fitz asked leaning in front of him.

Jackson nods his head vigorously up and down. He scoops up a spoonful of the healthy breakfast and gives his father it to taste.

Fitz says, "Mmm. This is good stuff, J, you'll grow up to be big and strong."

"Like you!" Jackson sang happily.

Fitz give him a small pained smile, he really hoped that his son would grow up to be a better man than him. Instead of a college dropout, gym rat.

"Do you want some breakfast? I made extras," Olivia's soft voice broke his reverie. She'd watched the interaction between father and son, it never failed to constrict her heart with gladness.

"Sure, thanks," he answers absentmindedly.

"Ok, I'll be right back."

A few minutes later Olivia brings two plates filled with bacon, eggs and toast. She places one plate in front of him and another on the opposite placemat. She returns to the kitchen to bring the two glasses of orange juice. Once the food was properly distributed she takes her seat.

Olivia murmurs grace underneath her breath before diving in. They ate in relative silence except for Jackson's sporadic babbling.

"Next week Friday, Jackson, has a doctor visit at 12. I already asked for the time off but in case something comes up, can you be free to take him?'

Jackson stops talking when he hears his name mentioned.

Fitz chews on his eggs before replying, "of course. I can get Harrison to cover my shift if need be. If you're going to make it I'll still like to come. I want to be here for my son," he finishes seriously. They might be on a break but he wasn't on a break with his son.

"Great. Is your mother still throwing herself a 50th birthday?" She asks in order to fill silence.

"Yup." Fitz answered, eating a piece of bacon before breaking off a piece for Jackson.

"Fitz, don't give him that he already ate."

"Relax, a small piece won't do him anything."

Olivia shrugged her shoulder and finished off her breakfast. She needed to leave at 7 in order to arrive at school with plenty of time to get settled and welcome her students.

Once finished, Olivia gets up and cleared her and Jackson's mess as Fitz was still eating.

"Just leave the dishes in the sink, I'll get them after work," she tells him before retreating to her bedroom to finish dressing for the day.

"Ok."

When he was finished eating, he releases Jackson from his high chair and places him onto the floor to roam about. Fitz always laugh when his chubby legs tried to run. Jackson was a huge baby, almost weighing ten pounds at birth. He'd given his mother a hard time during delivery. Nonetheless, he was slowly growing out of his baby weight. His arms and legs still had the cutest creases that his mother loved to smell.

"Jackson, don't climb up that chair!" Fitz reprimand him from the sink as he washes their breakfast dishes. JT was trying to climb up one of the barstool at the kitchen island.

Jackson frowns at him before complying with his wishes. His sullen attitude didn't last for long as he moved onto one of the kitchen cupboards, and starts opening and closing the door with reckless abandon.

Fitz leaves the sink with the running water on and scoops up his toddler in his muscular arms.

"Buddy, I can't wait for you to be three," he tells him. "Because this terrible twos is killing me."

Jackson not fully comprehending what his father was saying, simply laughed in his face. His sparkly white baby teeth showing.

"You find that funny, huh?" Fitz puts him to sit on the countertop next to the sink and starts tickling him.

"Dada, no! No tickle!" he screamed in between laughing.

Fitz continued his assault on him for another minute or so before he relented. Giving his boy a loud kiss on the forehead, he resumes washing the dishes but this time with Jackson's unsolicited help.

* * *

Through the thin walls of the apartment, Olivia overhears them playing. The sound both made her happy and sad. This was what she'd envisioned for their life. They were having it for so many years until her own culpability gnawed away her happiness. _Why couldn't he just ask me to marry him?_ She was a simple person that didn't require much at all. A simple courthouse wedding would be sufficient for her as long as his heart was in it. She always allowed him to take the lead in their relationship and most time she followed, granted she did so wholeheartedly. But this time she was taking the lead and he wasn't following.

She looks at herself in the mirror and she smiles hollowly at her reflection. Her eyes were no longer luminous but rather dull and sad. They told a different story. Staring at herself for what felt like an eternity Olivia finally snapped out of it when she heard Jackson's oncoming heavy stomps with his boyish voice chanting, "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy." Olivia laughs and shakes her head, resuming the simple task of applying some lip gloss and eyeliner to her face.

A few seconds later Jackson enters with the entire front of his shirt soaked.

"Jackson Thomas Grant! What on earth have you been doing?"

"Daddy, we, wassst dississ."

Olivia chuckled before saying, "You and daddy washed dishes?"

He nods his head yes while saying, "Yeshhh."

"Jackson!" They were interrupted by Fitz' voice. "Where are you bud?"

""Here!" Jackson yelled.

A second later, Fitz knocks once on the door before pushing his head through. "Can I come in?"

"Yea…" Olivia answers.

Fitz enters the room and surveys it, pleasantly surprised that no changes were made to it. The walls were still a soft beige color with eggplant trimmings, everything was exactly where it was minus his belongings.

"Come on, J, we have to get you out of those wet clothes." He holds up a green hulk T-shirt and a basketball shorts in his hand for him to change into.

JT clambers over to his father and he dresses him while Olivia finishes her signature Pope bun.

"You look nice," Fitz complimented once he was finished hunching over someone who's incredibly shorter than him.

Olivia blushes and smiles, "thank you."

"No problem," Fitz whispers, their eyes stayed connected for a few seconds longer than they should. He would never be over her, Olivia Carolyn Pope is the love of his life. He knows that there are things that he needs to do on his own to improve himself but he still needed her in his life. He wasn't willing to ever fully let her go.

With Jackson distracted, playing with a random toy found on the bedroom floor, Fitz thought it was the opportune time to bring up last night.

"What happened last –,"

"It won't happen again," Olivia interrupts.

Fitz sighs exaggeratedly and plops his bottom on the edge of the well-made bed.

"Can we honestly talk? We can't just give up on each other so easily, Liv. We have too much history and too much love to do so. I can't just walk away like we don't mean anything to each other."

Olivia bites the inside of her cheeks, trying to control her rising emotions. He always made her so damn emotional.

"Fitz, I want more."

"Livvie, is this going to always come down to a piece of paper and ring?" He asks, roughly rubbing his beard in frustration.

"You still don't get it do you? It's not the piece of paper and ring. It's about security, Fitz. I want to feel secure in a relationship with you, because the way I see it, you're free to go and come as you feel like, and before you even suggest it, no, I'm not going to hold you against your will."

"Is this because of your parents? I know they always give you hell about us, is this them talking? Are you letting them run your life?"

"No! This is _me_ saying what I want!" Olivia hissed at him, she took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She needed to stay calm and collected. Her parents often times, no, almost every other time that she sees them, asks her, "When are you and Fitz getting married?" She hated it because each time she would say she doesn't know, the disappointment on her father's face hurts her heart. Sometimes she feels like the black sheep of the family and that she only causes them embarrassment. Pastor Pope's only daughter unwed with kid. Over the years all of the unspoken feelings buildup into a perpetual resentment for herself, which in turn not only made her miserable but by extension Fitz. The past year of their relationship, she was ashamed to say that she became someone she swore she would never become, a nagger.

Their moment was broken when Jackson looked up from his place on the floor and says, "Ready, daddy. I wanna go in da hulllk." They called his car the hulk because of the bright green color.

Fitz gets up from the bed and prepares to head out, but was stopped when Olivia asked.

"Do you want me to pick him up or you'll drop him off?"

"I'll bring him back."

"Ok," she smiles weakly before picking up her tote and slipping on her black flats to complete her outfit of the day. Fitz scoops Jackson into his arms and takes him to the living room to put on his light up shoes. When they were all set, Fitz grabs Jackson's baby bag and places it over his right shoulder while he holds him in his arms. Olivia closely follows them down the short treads of stairs. She was grateful for the cool Florida morning air in spite of the rising temperatures that is to occur later.

Olivia stands to the side and watches as Fitz pulls the driver seat up in order to strap Jackson into his car seat, since his car only has two doors he had to climb into the back with him. Fitz loves that car, it has given them many memories, good and bad. Jackson had also grown to love his daddy "wace caw" that's what he calls it. Sitting in the backseat, he chants Hulk over and over while clapping his hands happily.

Olivia gets close to the window to tell him bye. "Love you baby, be good for your father. Muah," she kisses him through the glass in which he reciprocates with a few air kisses of his own. Pulling away from the car, she watches as Fitz folds his tall figure into the front seat before starting the engine.

"Have a great day, Fitz."

"You too." He replies simply before putting the car into reverse and slowly sped away. Olivia watches them until they were no longer visible. Then and only then, did she hopped into her Toyota corolla. She allowed her engine to warm up before heading off to work. Another day, another dollar.

* * *

**A/N: Don't kill me because you're not getting happy Olitz. Lol. I promise you they'll get back together sometime. Umm, so I want to know how you feel about all of this. Does Liv have valid points? Is she being irrational? How about selfish? Is Fitz simply pulling her long? Should he suck it up and marry her? Let me know what you think. Also, give it up for Jackson. I love me some Olitz babies, I can write about them all day long. Lol. But for some reason, I always thought to write his name as Tommy instead of Jackson. Lol. My ****_Family First_**** readers would understand this. Ha ha.**

**Also, I really am trying to write this story as realistic as possible.**

**Thanks again for the copious amounts of follows, reviews and favorites. Truly, truly, appreciate it.**

**Xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Happy late Vday, hope you had a good one. Thanks to all you lovely people who reviews, follows and favorites this story. You're the real MVP. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**_Flashback "The Meeting" 5 years ago_**

_It had been six months since Olivia had returned to Tampa, Florida, after earning her Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of North Carolina. It was a battle she'd won from her parents since they had hopes of her attending a Christian college in Georgia. During her four years of college Olivia maintained the beliefs that was imbedded in her from a toddler. They were moments when she missed the mark but that was to be expected as she's only human. Although a righteous person may fall seven times, they get up again. _

_Since moving back to Tampa, Olivia had moved out of her parents' home and rented an apartment as soon as she'd gotten her teaching job. Now she was trying to get the hang of balancing work, social life and other commitments. _

_Her first agenda after work was to join the fitness center a few minutes from her apartment. A Monday afternoon she decided to do just that. She parked her recently bought new car into the parking lot of the gym before hauling her 5'4" body out. _

_"Welcome to Elite Fitness. How may I help you today?" The cheery receptionist greeted. _

_"Hi, I'm here to join the gym," Olivia replied politely. _

_For the next thirty minutes Olivia spoke with the receptionist, who she'd come to know as Cathy. She found the best package that was suitable for her needs and they got her signed up. With the gym membership they offered a free 30 minute session with a trainer. She had any day to schedule an appointment. Since she was already at the gym and dressed for it, she asked the receptionist if any of the trainers were available. Luckily for them one of the trainers had a cancelled appointment and was able to see to her so Cathy went to get them. _

_Olivia stood in the gym foyer in a simple black Reebok ankle length tights, a white racer-back tank top and a pair of red Nike shoes. She didn't wait for too long before seeing Cathy returning with a really hot guy. He was all muscles but not in the way that screamed muscle head. He was super toned from what she could see. For a second Olivia thought that she was unable to breathe. Taking deep cleansing breaths to calm herself down she was able to breathe properly. _

_"Thanks for your patience, Olivia," Cathy smiled at her. _

_"It was no problem," Olivia returned, trying to brush it off. _

_"Ok, this is one of our trainers Fitz, he'll be going over the machines safety with you. Fitz this is Olivia." _

_Olivia and Fitz shook hands and each gave the other a small smile. _

_"Is there anything else I can help you with today, Olivia?" Cathy inquired before returning to her desk. _

_"No that's fine. You've been great. Thank you for all the help."_

_"Great, I'm glad I was able to do my job. Hope you have a good time with Fitz over here, he can be super demanding sometime," Cathy joked. "Also, before you go, please don't forget to collect your welcome package on your way out."_

_"I won't." Olivia confirmed before Cathy departed from them, leaving Fitz and Olivia to their own devices. _

_"Before we start the machines, would you like to weigh in?" He asked simply in a professional voice. _

_Olivia shook her head no. She had about an extra 10, 15 pounds she'd accumulated from college and needed to get rid of. _

_"Actually, that won't be necessary," she declined verbally after remembering to use her words, something her mother always insisted that she do. _

_Fitz smirks at her before asking, "Is there any area are you specifically looking to work on?" To him she looked absolutely perfect. She was the definition of slim thick. Slim but yet curvy with just the right amount of voluptuousness in the important areas. Which to him were ass and breasts._

_The question kind of threw her off for a second so she thought about it before replying, "Umm... I'm looking to incorporate weightlifting into my cardio exercises. Just trying to tone up and reduce my overall body fat percentage."_

_Fitz listens keenly as she explains what her fitness goal was. He appreciates that she was looking for an overall health improvement rather than just physical. He emphasizes to all of his clients that if they focus their exercises and healthy eating around improving their overall health that it would be easier to stick to. _

_Once he'd gotten a feel of what she liked, he introduced her to the step climber and other high impact cardio machines. During the demonstrations Fitz would share some funny stories about people in the gym and she would laugh. He made sure to not make her laugh when he showed her how to properly lift free weights. He demonstrated several arms and legs exercises. Also, he thought her how to properly squat, the one exercise that ladies love to do despite of the pain because the results was everything. _

_When they were finally finished Olivia was sore to the bone, for thirty minutes she had a full body workout. _

_Preparing to leave Fitz hands her his business card. "If you need a trainer don't hesitate to give me a call." He smiled at her charmingly. _

_His friendly smile spread a warmth through her entire body. "I'll think about it," she tells him instead. She was on a budget and didn't have the extra cash to fork out on a trainer, but the looks of him had her considering it. _

_"Ok, that's all I'm asking." Fitz gives her another smile, towering over her with his body. _

_She was very conscious of his body a few perimeters from hers. _

_He walks her to the door and opens it for her. "Thank you," she tells him shyly while passing. _

_"You're welcome, Olivia." The way her name rolled off his tongue caused her to stop and give him a final look over. He was hot, that was her only conclusion and her mind told her to stay very far away. Even though that was her final thoughts she couldn't help but put an extra pep in her step. _

**_End of Flashback_**

* * *

It was the end of his work week, Fitz decided to take up the invitation to go to one of the local bars with Harrison and Stephen. He'd known Harrison all his life, they were boys from way back when, and he'd came to know Stephen from working at the gym.

Together they sat at the bar, each nursing a cold beer.

"So how's thing on the home front?" Harrison asked, taking a swig at his beer afterwards. He'd known that they were having problems from listening to the tense conversations that Fitz was having from his end of the phone calls.

Fitz sighed long and hard before taking a long chug of his beer. He didn't want to think about his personal life right now.

"That bad huh?" Stephen with his Scottish accent piped in.

"You have no fucking idea." Fitz let out exasperatedly.

"Mmm," Harrison murmured.

The guys were silent for a while each thinking about their encounters with women. Some were good and some bad.

With one more gulp of his beverage Fitz felt empowered to express how he was feeling. "It's like no matter what I do it's not good enough. I don't feel appreciated. Instead of focusing on what we have she focuses on what we don't have."

"I hear you, man," Harrison sympathize.

Fitz sighs and runs his fingers roughly through his beard. Since moving out he wasn't incline to even do something as simple as shave. He was emotionally frustrated that led to personal neglect.

"Have you told her this?" Stephen, ever the rationally thinking one asked.

"Of course I did."

Stephen sighed, "Did you sit down and told her this or did you do so while arguing with her?"

Fitz shrugged his shoulder because he never sat her down to properly tell her how he felt.

"What's the difference?" Fitz asked, raising his bottle to his lips.

"Well for one, if you were having a rational conversation with her she would be more receptive to what you're saying, versus a shouting match."

"I get what you're saying and all, but this is Liv, she knows me better than anybody, and she knows that the worst thing to do is force my hands." Fitz diverted the conversation away from his problem with proper communication.

"What is she forcing your hands to do?" Harrison questioned.

"To get married."

Both guys looked at him as if he was crazy, neither seeing a problem to her request.

"And? Aren't you going to say something?" Fitz queried their puzzled looks.

Snapping out of his befuddlement, Stephen asks, "and what is the problem with this? You guys have been together _forever_. You love her, she loves you. What's the hang ups?"

Harrison silently watches his closest friend's face because he knew what he was going to say.

"Marriage isn't for everyone, look at my parents, it's because of them my views changed. Hell, my entire life changed."

"Fitz, you can't base all marriages on your parents' downfall."

"Of course I fucking can," Fitz' voice was elevated. "They had the perfect marriage and as soon as I went off to college everything went downhill. Then for me to return home on my winter break in my second year, only to be seated down the day after Christmas to be told that they were having a divorce. They said that they were victims of the empty nest syndrome and no longer found compatibility in each other. I stared at them for a very long time, because I couldn't believe that they would simply toss over 20 years down the drain because of some bullshit. And that's why I don't believe in the frivolous paper that really don't mean shit. It means more to the law than the way people take it. They don't value what they're saying, and I can't even fathom going through that entire process, only to have my partner leave me when they promised until death do us part."

Harrison had heard this story before, but Stephen had never heard it. He was so taking up with Fitz' words that he failed to take another sip of beer. When the slightly younger man was finished talking the three men grew silent as the weight of his words seeped into his skin.

Breaking his long silence, Stephen says, "I'm sorry to say this, but you're in a very similar situation. Olivia left because she wanted full commitment. The thing that you were afraid of happening is happening to you. So with or without a paper, people leave."

The weight of Stephen's words hits him like a ton of bricks. For the first time he'd seen the situation between him and Liv like a divorce. They were together for years but now they weren't. A divorce without the paperwork. Fitz was shocked speechless.

Stephen nor Harrison spoke a word after, they all sat quietly as they indulged in the tasteless beer. After his beer was finished Fitz excused himself for the evening. The guys bid him a goodbye before he went out of the bar.

* * *

Fitz wasn't even slightly inebriated as he drove home, but his mind was spinning with the words Stephen said. He didn't know how he made it safely inside his apartment but he did. The first thing he did was sit on the couch and yelped when he felt one of Jackson's lego under his butt. Plucking it out of the couch he throws it on the floor.

Fitz looks around his sparsely furnished apartment with a kid size basketball system in the middle of the living room. It was sorta pathetic how he currently lived. The place looked empty and devoid of much warmth.

He sat staring at the wall as he recalled his days at college after returning from the news of his parents' divorce. Everything for him changed drastically, his normal happy home was no longer happy. Of all the parents he'd thought to have a divorce his parents weren't one of them. So here he was at the University of Southern California trying to pursue a bachelor's degree in sports medicine in hopes to work with a sports team, a basketball team in particular, when his life was altered. Fitz went back to school and obtained his AS degree but never passed that level. When he found out that his father had quickly moved on, got remarried and his new wife was pregnant with child, Fitz felt the rage building in him. He felt betrayed for his mother and for himself. Before he was passing with a few As, Bs and some Cs, but his grades dropped lower and lower until he dropped out altogether.

Thankfully for him when he'd returned to Tampa he didn't went long without finding a suitable job. Always having a great workout ethic it was easy for him to find a job at the gym. At least to him he was still doing a part of something that he loved even though it wasn't his dream.

Fitz looked at his palm and turned it over to stare at the back of his hand. He does this once, then twice, then three times. Huffing to himself, he loudly asks, "What am I doing?" And his inner voice answers him, "_Fuck shit up. That's all you're good for. You're a screw up. You're the reason why your parents divorced. If they weren't so busy doing all the things concerning a self-centered Fitz, then they would've had time to strength their relationship. And, let's not start about Olivia. You're the one that made her turn her back on her relationship with God, her family, her morals. She did all of that for you but you can't fix it. Like I said, you're a screw up. You're not good for her_."

Fitz' emotional wall snapped and he started sobbing into his hands because he believed what his conscience was accusing him of. He felt like an invisible person walking wanderlust through a sea of people. He blames himself for not being visible, and instead of reaching out to others to help him be visible, he sits in the corner and wallows in his invisibility. He felt completely helpless.

* * *

(Same day different location.)

It was Friday evening, Olivia and Jackson were over at her parents' house having dinner. Her mother prepared some of her southern cuisine for them. They were all seated around the table eating, enjoying small talks and laughing at whatever funny thing that came out of Jackson's mouth.

"Mama, can we call daddy?" Jackson out of the blue asked. He hadn't seen his father all day because he had to work the day shift so JT stayed with her parents.

Olivia's mother, Jackie, gives her an eye while cutting up her chicken.

Ignoring her mother Olivia turns her attention to her son and tells him, "we'll call him after dinner."

"Otay..." He concedes disgruntled.

"So are you two not back together?" Jackie asked snidely.

Olivia loved her mother but she could be very condescending.

"Mom..." Olivia silently pleaded she didn't want to go down that road.

"I'm just asking. If that's the case, then maybe you should start coming back to church." Jackie threw out with fork midair.

Olivia rubbed her temples feeling an onset of a headache.

"Jackie..." Her father's warning tone was a saving grace to Olivia's ears. "As much as I want my daughter to return to church, I won't have her doing so out of condemnation."

Olivia give her father a small smile of gratitude before continuing to eat. The topic shifted from Olivia and back onto minuscule things such as upcoming events, new accomplishments in Jackson's life which is currently his ability to count up to five and match shapes. Being a school teacher Olivia tried her darnedest to work on him early on. She tries not to overwhelm him with too much information knowing that he was still very young.

When they'd finished eaten Olivia helped her mom washed the dishes while her dad played with Jackson. JT loved his papa dearly and enjoys all the time he gets to spend with him. Her father had always been the least strict parent and that's why she felt like she'd failed him more than her mother. He'd given her so much freedom and space but she still managed to cause him shame.

They were all sitting in the living room when the landline rung for her mother. Apparently it was one of the ladies from the church that was going through a crisis and needed someone to talk to. Jackie excused herself to another room to privately converse with the woman.

"Come over here, Livia," her father beckoned for her to come sit on his side of the chair. "I won't bite," he tells her, giving her his charming Pope smile.

Olivia looks down at JT who was busily playing with a replica mustang car like his father's on the floor.

Olivia tensely sits on the spot next to him; being truthful to herself she knows that she's been avoiding him. Because she felt like she'd let him down it caused a huge rift in their relationship. She was no longer forthcoming in her relationship with him like she previously was.

"How are you doing, baby girl?" His brown eyes bore into hers seriously once she was seated on the couch.

Olivia feigns a small smile, "I'm go—"

Interrupting her, her father asks again, "How are you _really_ doing? I know this is probably not an easy time for you."

With the level of sincerity in his voice for her wellbeing was enough to cause Olivia's tears to flow over the brim of her eyes. Her body shook as a dam burst letting out her pent up emotions of hurt, disappointments, shame and longing.

Her father seeing her predicament didn't hesitate to embrace her lovingly in his arms.

"Oh child," he says in a pained voice, feeling the pain of seeing his daughter in pain.

Olivia clutches onto him even tighter and cries unashamedly into his chest. She had no words to express how she felt so she cried and cried, and kept crying. Through it all Jackson looked on sadly not understanding what's going on with his mother but his grandfather's reassuring eyes made him stay calm.

Once cried out Olivia feeling ashamed, pulled away from her father. She didn't know what came over her to breakdown like that, but it felt great to just let it all out.

Her father didn't allow her to put much distance between them. He hold her chin with one of his hands and directly tells her, "You gotta fight. You can't allow the devil to steal your joy. God didn't sent his son on earth so that you can live in misery. He sent him so that you can have life and life more abundantly. So I'm telling you again, you got to fight. Don't give up so easily. I don't know all the details surrounding you and Fitz, and that's ok, because I could probably beat him up for having my baby girl so hurt right now." John jokes to lighten up the mood.

Olivia laughs softly and sniffs her nose simultaneously. He could always make her laugh.

"I'm praying for you. Now is not the time to throw in the towel. You gotta fight and when I say fight, I don't mean fight Fitz but fight the one who only comes to steal, kill and devour us. He's the one stealing your joy. And, don't give up on God, because he surely hasn't given up on you."

The uplifting words, free of condemnation caused Olivia's heart to soar. She wondered why it had taken her so long to spend some one on one time with her father. She needed this so much, everything was so timely for her.

"Thank you so much dad. I love you."

He squeezed her to his side, "I love you so much, pumpkin. So... so much. Nothing can change that."

His unwavering declaration of love caused a fresh flow of tears to fall from her eyes.

A few minutes later, Jackie reentered the room to notice the bright smile on her daughter's face.

"You look happy," Jackie pointed out.

"I am," Olivia returned, feeling a hundred pounds lighter.

They stayed at her parents' house for another 30 minutes before finally leaving. Olivia hugged them both good bye, but reserved an extra tight hug for her father. Just like before he whispered in her ears. "Don't give up now, pumpkin. You got to keep fighting." Olivia appreciated his kind words, she left feeling encouraged and her strength felt renewed.

* * *

As soon as they'd gotten home, Olivia made sure to get JT ready for bed before they called Fitz. Lying next to him on his small bed with the phone on speaker his father read a bedtime story for him. His deep baritone voice reading the story of Peter Pan. At certain parts, Jackson's animated voice interrupts the narration with a thought or a question which was usually funny.

They were like this for a few more minutes before Jackson's soft snores permeates the room. Hearing him, Fitz says, "I love you bud. I love both of you..."

Olivia hears the pain in his voice and it only served to constrict her heart. As simple as breathing, she returns, "I love you too, Fitz."

* * *

**A/N: I was a blabbering mess writing this chapter. So friggin' sad. Sigh... Each chapter I will insert a piece of their history into it. In this one we found out how they met. We also gained some background on Fitz' motives behind not wanting to be married. As an FYI: Fitz will in no way suck it up and marry her. If/when that times comes it will be a mutual, wanting decision with both parties. Fitz has some issues that he's trying to workout. He blames himself for a lot of things that he probably shouldn't. **

**We also got an introduction to Harrison and Stephen. If you've been following me for a while you know that Jake and Mellie are not welcomed here so I won't write about them. Ha. Anyways, what are your thoughts on this new revelation about him? **

**Onto Liv, I introduced her parents. Jackie is a little_. You fill in the blank lol. Her father though... He is a loving, compassionate man. The sweet, intimate moment that they shared had me literally crying. Her and Fitz' breakdowns were too much for my fluffy heart. Lol. **

**Enough of my ramblings. Please don't forget to leave a review. I absolutely enjoy reading them. Thank you so much for the overpowering love I'm receiving for this story. Many thanks. **

**Xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Guess whose back already? Me! Enjoy! Also, chapter 3 was uploaded last night in case you didn't know. Sometimes FF acts out.**

* * *

**_"Flashback "The Asked Out"_**

For the past two months since Olivia joined the gym Fitz was lucky to see her during his shifts. During his sightings of her he would always make sure to go over to say a quick _hi_, and if they had time a brief conversation ensued about her day. This happened almost every week day. Now he was catching hell for it because his boys, Harrison and Stephen had caught on that he had a crush on her.

However, things changed one evening when he'd already clocked out from work and was chilling in the parking lot by his car.

Seeing her depart from the gym with her skin coated in a sheen of sweat he couldn't help but smile. He watched as she walked towards the car next to his, taking a swig from the bottle of water occasionally.

"Hi," she greets once close enough.

"Hi. Good workout?"

"Always," she tells him with a smile.

Fitz simply stared at her face, she was drop dead beautiful with her doe shaped eyes, high cheek bones, pouty lips and her skin the most perfect shade of brown. There was no denying that he was attracted to her.

"Good."

"Uh huh," Olivia murmured her agreement.

They stood awkwardly facing each other with her car in the middle. Olivia was about to bid him good bye when he spoke.

"Can I take you out on a date?" He asked confidently.

Olivia was taken aback by his boldness. But that didn't changed her answer, "I don't date."

Fitz realizing that this was going to be a challenge asks with a smirk on his face, "why not?"

"Because I don't have the time."

Fitz gives out a soft laugh and shakes his head. He couldn't believe that she was giving him such a lame answer so he pressed forward. "All I'm asking for is one date. We can spend an hour tops with each other."

Olivia looks into his clear blue gray eyes as it shines with merit. He was a handsome guy and she knew that she probably shouldn't go out with him based on several things, but seeing him in all of his glory she was almost tempted to accept his invitation.

"Fitz, you seem like a great guy but —"

Interrupting her, Fitz says, "please don't start the _but_ excuse. If you don't want to go out on a date with me, fine, _but_ before you leave, I would like to have your phone number."

"Why?" She asked curiously.

"Because I think you would be a great friend." He answered with a giant size smirk still on his face.

Olivia blushed at his determination, finding no harm in sharing her digits, she give it to him.

Fitz collects her phone number and stores it immediately in his phone. He may've lost the battle but he'd surely not lost the war, he thought.

"Until next time, Olivia."

Olivia gave him a curious look before bidding him good bye. She had a feeling that this conversation was far from over.

Exactly a month after collecting her phone number he was able to take her out on their first official date. After much persistence she'd finally relented. During that month of long phone conversations and texting, they'd grown comfortable with each other.

Olivia had let her guard down and accepted his friendship which was quickly becoming more. Everything happened so slowly but yet so quickly that by the time they were on their fourth date they'd shared their first kiss. For both of them it was electric and body tingling. They connected on a level that many people weren't.

After their shared kiss their "friendship" quickly blossomed into a relationship. To Fitz Olivia was already his everything. Her innocence and sweet disposition to life was like a healing balm to his soul. She comforted him and gave him hope, something he'd lost along the way. With Olivia he had to take things extremely slow, there was no getting pass a kiss. Even when they kissed his hands had to be kept to himself. But as months progressed his hands were slowly given the privilege to wander in unfamiliar territories.

_**End of Flashback**_

* * *

Two weeks had passed and Fitz was currently visiting his mother.

"Mom, is dad and his new family coming to the party?" Fitz asked from the kitchen island, seated on a barstool and eating grapes.

"Fitz..."

"I don't know why you would invite him. He really is not a part of our family anymore."

Elizabeth shakes her head disapprovingly at her son. "He's always family. For one, he's your father and he will always be my friend."

Fitz shakes his head unable to understand how she could be so cordial with a man that moved on faster than the speed of light.

"Let me ask you something, for years I thought about you and dad's divorce. Both of you said that it was because you lost your way along the way with each other. Was that really the truth or a cop out?" Since speaking with Stephen Fitz has been thinking about a lot of things and the details surrounding his parents' divorce was one of them.

Elizabeth takes a deep breath before replying. "It was mostly truth. Both your father and I got married really young, and not too long after I was pregnant with you. In the earlier parts of our marriage things were good, we balanced life well. So our relationship was strong and healthy. A few years later when your father got promoted at his job it was decided for me that I wasn't going to work anymore. And since that was the case I threw myself into being there for you. If I was going to be a stay at home mom, I promised myself that I would be the best damn one. Over the years our relationship started taking a toll because there was an unbalance in our life. Your father worked long hours and I was just here. Gone were the spontaneity and tenderness that we once shared. Sometimes I felt like we were mostly roommates than husband and wife. We lived like this for a while, trying to make it all work. When you went to college that's when we were force to really deal with each other. There were no crutches around to lean on. No place or person to hide behind." She paused to look into his eyes before continuing, "We tried to make it work, but we became different people. I didn't know I had changed so much and vice versa. In the end, for peace and happiness sake we both decided that divorce was best. Did we give up easy? Probably, but I know he's happy where he's at and I'm happy where I am."

Fitz was still having a hard time wrapping his head around that. If one of them had cheated on the other then he probably would've understood their divorce. _Is differences such a big deal?_ Then with the weight of a Mack truck it hits him with an epiphany. _Of course it is. Look at you and Liv. It's because of differences that the two of you are not together. _

Fitz sighed and popped a grape into his mouth. "But, don't you think it was too soon for dad to fall in love and get remarried? I mean it wasn't even 6 months after the divorce had finalized did all of it happened."

"People fall in love in mysterious ways. Look at you and Olivia for instance, you guys were only dating for like a month when you came to me and told me you found the love of your life."

Fitz smiled at the fond memory. "Back when things were simple," he muttered.

Hearing his under breath remark, Elizabeth decided to speak some truth to him. "Look, I probably have no right to even give you any advice because I'm a divorcee, but I've learnt from my failed experience that love at the end of the day isn't going to be enough to salvage a relationship. It requires much work. Communication is key, you've got to learn to communicate with each other properly, a healthy compromise is essential. Love allows room to accommodate each other's dreams and wishes. And finally commitment. As a woman, I will tell you that we want to feel secure in our relationships."

Fitz absorbs what his mother was saying to him. Over the past couple of weeks he seriously took Stephen's word into consideration and now he had hers.

"Honestly, I thought that she was really ok with the way things were."

"And that's why communication both verbal and nonverbal is key. Son, look. I don't know what to tell you, but there are obviously feelings you harbor for my and your father's divorce. I'm sorry that it blindsided you, I know that through the years we painted the picture like all was well when it really wasn't. The reality is, we had years of knowing and preparing ourselves for the end while you were given notice one day when we'd already filed for it. It sucked for all of us, but you have to understand that this wasn't any of your fault. This was completely on us, so please don't take the blame or feel like you should've known this sooner so that you could've fixed it. You're not God so I don't expect you to know everything."

Elizabeth smiled wanly at her son and continues. "I know Olivia loves you, I see it in her eyes each time she drops JT off. The longing for you is still there, her separation from you is mainly for self-preservation. It took me awhile to figure that one out, because you knew how pissed I was when I heard she threw you out of your home."

Fitz chuckled from the memory. Elizabeth wasn't afraid to go gangsta for her son. When she'd seen him show up to her house with boxes of clothes her first thought was that he'd cheated on Olivia, she was ready to cut him. But when she'd learned the story, at first she was ready to cut Olivia for hurting her baby boy. But the calmer she got the more she could've rationalize the situation. She honestly felt sorry for both of them. She hoped that they worked out their differences for themselves and for JT.

"Thanks ma." Fitz gets up and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

They spent a few more minutes together before Fitz had to leave. He'd promise Jackson that he was going to take him to the big park next to the beach and that was one promise he intended to keep.

* * *

When Fitz arrived at the apartment he almost laughed seeing his son trying to help his mother clean with a dish towel. He keenly moved the fabric up and down the coffee table with pursed lips and knitted eyebrows.

"Hey," he greeted the both of them. Olivia stopped her vacuuming and stared at the guy standing in the doorway. He used his key, she gleefully thought.

"Daddy!" Jackson dropped the towel on the floor before rushing over to him. Fitz sweeps him up into his arms and started peppering his face with kisses.

Olivia looked on from the side and smiles, thinking how much her son loves his daddy.

"How are you today, bud?"

Jackson stresses, "goooood."

"Hey," Olivia finally returned his greeting.

Fitz looks into her direction and smiles. "You look nice."

Olivia self-consciously touched her scarf covered head and his raggedy t-shirt that she'd taken from him during the earlier days of their relationship. She laughed softly before replying with a simple, "thanks."

"Daddy, can mommy come to the pawk too?"

"I don't know bud, let's ask her." Fitz returns his gaze on Olivia before asking, "Would you like to go to the park with us?"

Unable to decline their invitation, she replies, "I would love to."

Jackson throws his chubby hands in the air in victory causing both of his parents to laugh out loud.

Approximately an hour later they were leaving the house. Olivia had packed some juice boxes and water bottles into a small cooler, and also carried some light snacks in her normally oversized tote bag. They all piled into Fitz' mustang and head to the beach area.

"How's work?" Fitz asked as they pulled up to a stop light. He couldn't help but admire her toned legs that were on display, thanks to her white shorts.

"Work is good. They finally got me a permanent assistant teacher." She was pleased that he remembered her complaints about the student to teacher class ratio.

"That's good."

Olivia nodded her head in agreement. Returning the same sentiments, she asks, "How's work treating you?"

Fitz shrug his shoulder and answered, "Same old."

"Ok."

They continued the journey in silence, as the long sandy beach came into viewing and Jackson's excitement shot up.

His father looked at him through the rear view mirror, then glance across at Olivia and smiled. He missed family outings like this.

For a Saturday midday they were lucky to find a good parking spot at the entrance of the park. Together they climbed out and went in search of the toddlers play section.

Jackson led the way merrily while Liv and Fitz walked closely behind. Fitz held the cooler while Olivia toted her oversize tote bag.

"He's getting taller," Fitz observes.

"He is, and he's losing his chunkiness." Olivia pouted.

"Well he can't stay a baby forever, Liv," Fitz pointed out.

Olivia shakes her head _yes_. "He'll always be my baby."

"I don't doubt that for a second. Remember when he was born we were both clueless, weren't we?"

Olivia throws her head back and laughs. "Of course I do. Now look at him. We made it through somehow."

Fitz smiled at her without saying anything further. He was simply happy to be in her presence like this. He could pretend like they were still together.

Shortly after they arrived at their destination, they setup shop at one of the vacant picnic tables. Immediately after resting the cooler down, Jackson impatiently urged his father to take him on the swing. Olivia stopped them for sunscreen before they headed out into the sun. Once both parties were lathered up they proceeded to the swings.

She sat watching them from a few feet away. The place was hot but that was to be expected in Florida. Both Jackson and his father had on matching smiles as they beamed brightly. Wanting to capture the moment she takes out her iPhone and opens up the camera app. Zooming into them she captures the perfect picture of Jackson going up in the air with his father's hand extended out waiting to catch him.

Looking at the picture strangely caused her mind to conjure thoughts of the first time when she and Fitz became intimate.

* * *

_**Flashback "Their First Time"**_

It had been six months since they were seriously dating. Recently during their alone times at either his or her place, it was becoming increasingly hard for Olivia to not want to go all the way. She now understood when her father preached about having an accountability partner who would stand in the gap for you when you're unable to do so. Olivia had no such person because mostly no one knew about Fitz. She'd yet to introduce him to her parents. Abby knew of a guy in her life but she didn't know that they were this serious.

One weekend she was staying over at his place when it happened. Whenever she stayed over she would sleep on his bed and he would stay on the couch. That weekend neither one planned it but it simply happened. It was only a matter of time for it to happen because they were both teetering along the line of no return for a while now.

On a Saturday evening they were snuggled together on the couch watching TV when it all of a sudden turned into a make out session. Turning off the annoying background noise they were both lost in the world of tongue swiping and lip biting.

Olivia didn't know what had overcame her but she desperately wanted more. Feeling his erect penis grinding against her core was enough to want to rip his shirt off, which she did.

"Damn, Livvie," Fitz said in between kissing her neck and sucking on it. Her passionate assault was turning him on even more. His ears were becoming a deeper shade of red by the second.

"I want you Fitz," she begged as his jeans clad erection was pressing into her love button. Because she was wearing a summer dress she was able to feel him through her panties.

"Are you sure?" He stopped to ask before they went any further. He didn't want her to have any regrets even though he desperately wanted to make love to her.

"Yes," she panted with bee stung lips. "Make love to me, Fitz."

Fitz wasted no time in lifting her up from the couch and made his way to his bedroom. He deposits her gently onto the middle of the bed. He quickly rids himself from his jeans, leaving himself cladded only in a pair of black boxer briefs.

Olivia watched at his erect manhood strained against the fabric of his briefs as he joined her on the bed. She was still clothed in a yellow maxi dress. Fitz slowly lifted the dress up and she assisted him by raising up her torso. Once the dress was gone her strapless bra and undies were the only thing remaining.

"You're so beautiful, Livvie. I love everything about you." Fitz spoke softly as his hands and eyes caressed her from her face down to her lower stomach. The closer he got to her core the more tensed she became.

"Just relax baby. I won't hurt you."

Olivia gives him a small smile to alleviate her nervousness.

Fitz lies on his side while Olivia laid on her back, he latches on his mouth to hers and they started a tongue tango. Olivia moaned felicitously into his mouth.

His hands roamed the planes in between her breasts, wanting access to her round mounds he slips one hand beneath her and expertly undoes her bra. When her mountainous bosoms were free his hands skillfully caressed them, teasing and rubbing at their taut brown pebbles.

Olivia felt wanton with desire there's nothing she could think of in that moment that would make her stop him from bringing her to ecstasy. She felt alive and happy so her lips never failed to let out a moan of delight.

He placed sodden kisses on her neck before moving down to her breasts where he ladled equal amounts of love on each one. From sucking and nipping on it with his tortuous mouth, Olivia felt her essence flowing incessantly out of her core and down her thighs.

She held onto his hair to gain reprieve but he continued to suck on them.

Fitz let go of her nipples with a pop before continuing his journey down south. He kissed, licked and nipped on the firm skin of her stomach. All this time her hands continued to pull at his dark brown curls while her muscles undulate underneath his mouth.

The minute he reached her core he spread her legs wider to accommodate his broad shoulders. Once settled in between her legs he inhales the sweetness of her sex. "You smell so good, baby," Fitz choked out, feeling the primal need to eat her pussy up.

Olivia moans when he slips her underwear off. The cool air meeting her wet center caused a shiver to run up her spine.

"So fucking wet," Fitz groaned as he sees evidence of her essence.

Normally Olivia didn't like it when he cursed but she could've cared less if he did in that moment.

Without giving her warning he spreads her lower lips apart with his middle and forefinger before taking his tongue and licked her from the bottom of her pussy all the way to the top. He ended on her engorged clit and she immediately cried out when he started sucking on it.

"Oh God... Fitz..." She cried as she tried to close her legs but Fitz won't allow her to.

He placed both of her legs over his shoulder and holds onto them tightly, so that she was completely exposed and vulnerable to him.

He returned to placing sodden kisses and small nips onto the flesh of her core. He swirled his tongue and wrote his name on her pussy. He had to remember to keep himself calm as to not rush her. Her sweet taste was aphrodisiac and it only heighten his arousal. Now his cock was straining against the material of his boxer briefs painfully. He ignored his own desire in order to worship her.

Olivia felt madden with each swipe of his tongue that he made onto her most hidden treasure. She threw her head back in rapture as his mouth wraps around her bundle of nerves again. She was drowning in a sea of pleasure and she wished not to be saved. He kept worshipping her with his mouth until she felt something unfamiliar inside of her snapped, which give way to a fresh wave of essence to flow freely out of her. She screamed his name and thrashed on his unrelenting tongue.

He laps up her sweet nectar hungrily not wanting a drop to go to waste. He smiled satisfyingly as her body laid limp underneath him. Not wasting another second he moves up her body to reconnect their lips. He allowed her to taste herself on his mouth.

Breaking apart from the kiss, he grunted, "Taste how sweet your pussy is."

His dirty talk only served to arouse her more, and she latched herself onto him with a vengeance sucking his tongue into her mouth.

Fitz felt his cock twitched in his boxers and he almost came when her shy hands reached for him.

He quickly rids himself of his boxers as they indulged in a tonsil swiping match. Their tongues were deep in the other's mouth that they were one swipe from choking.

Olivia breaks the kiss the minute she felt his hot shaft on her thighs. She'd never seen his penis before and she wanted to see it in all its naked glory. She looked down at his hand that was fisted around it. He was impressive in both length and width. She licked her lips at the veins visibly seen on it.

She didn't think that she could've been anymore aroused than she already was, but boy was she wrong. The minute he moved his hands up and down his shaft a hiss-like sound escaped her lips. She could feel herself dripping even more with anticipation of his penis.

"You like watching me do this?" Fitz asked roughly in a deep voice as his hands sped up its movement. She simply nodded her head yes. Seeing her eyes darken the way it did, had him teetering close to the edge. Her open legs was his invitation to unite their bodies together.

He moved his shaft up and down her slit, coating it with her essence. He made sure to touch her clit with the tip of his cock, bumping it a few times with its hardness. Olivia cried out and begged him to take her.

Knowing that she was a virgin he took his time in entering her. She was so tight but her slick walls aided in transporting him into her inner chambers. Fitz moved his mouth to hers and kissed her through the discomfort. Once completely in, he allowed himself a moment for her to grow accustomed to his girth.

Olivia broke their kiss and begged, "You got to move, baby..."

And he started a rhythmic movement, slow at first taking his time to familiarize them with each other's body. They kissed and groped at each other as their hips swivel together. As their orgasm build Fitz increased his pace and pressed his thumb on her love button to stimulate her senses more.

Olivia felt like he was everywhere. In her, around her and over her. His penis was hitting her in places that she didn't know existed, at the age of 23 she was no longer a virgin. She'd finally given it up and it felt glorious. With each precise stroke and each deep rubs with the right amount of pressure to her clit, brought her one step closer to her orgasm.

The minute Fitz' hip started pistoling into her it was her outdoing. She cried out his name long and loud as her orgasm coursed through her powerfully. During one of the most pleasurable feeling of her life she felt him tense up before shooting his seed deep inside of her.

They stayed like that for a while before Fitz finally removed himself from her. He reached over to the side table and grabbed a few Kleenex to wipe the both of them off. Once they were clean they snuggled together and fell asleep.

Olivia got up midnight as the incessant urge to pee woke her. She gently removed her body from Fitz' and went to the bathroom. She still felt like she was floating on cloud nine. However, the minute she encountered a mirror the guilt of what she did smacked her. She wasn't supposed to have premarital sex and she just did. And it was great. What was she supposed to do now? She can't undo things. Olivia looked at all the love bites on her naked body and she closed her eyes from seeing the aftermath of her sin.

She shook her head and used the toilet. She was about to walk out the bathroom and returned to bed but decided to take a shower. Once she was inside of the shower she started crying. She felt guilty at what she did even though she thoroughly enjoyed it. She stayed staring at the wall for a few minutes before exiting the bathroom.

When she was finished with her shower. She returned to the room dressed in one of Fitz' T-shirts and undies. She lies on her side of the bed away from Fitz contemplating what was going to happen next. She thought of telling him the next morning that they couldn't do this again, but know to herself that was a lie. She looked over at his sleeping form and smiled. The linen sheet barely covered his manhood, a part of him that was no longer private to her.

Her mind couldn't turn off its nonstop replay of the night's activities. And on top of that the scent of their combined fluids on the sheets mocked her. Olivia mumbled a quick prayer of forgiveness before falling asleep.

Little did she know that she would ask for forgiveness every time she and Fitz engaged in sexual relations. Overtime her guilty conscience became muted and she accepted their sexual relationship for what it was. A display of their affections for each other. It became a vital part of their relationship.

_**End of flashback**_

* * *

Olivia was rudely snapped out of her thoughts by a tall burly man.

"Hello... Anybody at home?" The guy joked.

Olivia looked at him puzzled for a few seconds. Her mind was still reeling about her and Fitz' first time.

"Can I help you?" She asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"I was wondering why a beautiful woman like yourself was sitting alone. Do you need some company?"

Before Olivia could've replied Fitz and Jackson returned to the table. What had shocked her was Fitz taking up the spot next to her and then he wrapped his arm around her waist in a possessive manner.

Familiarity dawned on the stranger as he watched the man hold onto the beautiful woman with a little boy hanging onto his right hand. "Oh my bad. I'm just going to leave," the other man said before scurrying away.

"Really?" Olivia asked with humor evident in her voice.

Fitz answered, "yes, really."

Olivia thought that Fitz was going to remove his hands but he kept it there long after the man had left. "Do you mind?" She asked in a casual tone. She had the opportunity to deal with Fitz for the past 5 years and she knew too well about his jealous side.

Fitz straightens up and removes his arm from around her waist. In a serious and direct tone he tells her, "I'm never letting you go."

Olivia stares at him for a few seconds before returning, "I don't want you to." Even though they were on the outs she didn't want anybody else.

Clearing her throat, she asks, "Who's hungry?"

Jackson shouted, "mee, mee!"

They all sat around the picnic table, eating fruit slices, crackers and jam she brought, along with the juice boxes and water. When they were finished eaten, Olivia joins them playing on the swings and on the seesaw. She and Jackson were on one side while Fitz occupied the other side of the seesaw. They were having a good time laughing and smiling as they went up and down.

Jackson was even able to befriend a little girl that was accompanied by her parents. The parents watched on as the two played together. When they were leaving Jackson plants a soft kiss on the girls cheek which caused everyone to go awww.

As the other family walked away Olivia and Fitz overheard the woman saying to the man, "they're such a beautiful little family."

Fitz gives Olivia a wide smile and she returns it. Today was a good day for them, one of the best days they had in a long time as a family.

* * *

**A/N: Got some free time this week, so I'll be writing all the time lol. May not update this story again for a while because I have my other two stories to write for. I just wanted to write this chapter while the muses were still flowing. We had two flashbacks in here and I hope you liked them. **

**We got introduced to Fitz' mother, Elizabeth. Hope her monologue helped explain the reasons for their divorce. And yes empty nest syndrome do causes divorce. Here's an excerpt from about relationships dot com. "Many long-term married couples divorce one another after the kids leave home. They realize too late that their child(ren) kept them together." Which in some cases happened to Fitz' parents. Hope that helped, and I understand that it may not be a big deal as if one of his parents had cheated, but to him his parents divorcing after what seemed to be a loving relationship was a big deal for him. He was impacted by it and that's reason enough for him to not want to take that plunge. Does he need to move on from his parents failed marriage? Of course... and he will in his time.**

**Jealous Fitz also made an appearance. In my Caribbean accent, "he nah leh go." lol. **

**FYI: this story will not have any over the top themes. Sometimes the simplest things in life affects us the most. I just want to write a story about two normal people doing normal stuffs going through normal problems. **

**Hope you liked their first time even though Olivia felt guilt at the end, which is to be expected. **

**Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you thought of the new installment. **

**Xoxo**


	5. 50th Wish

**Enjoy my darlings. Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. Glad you're enjoying the story. :)**

* * *

**_Two Weeks Later_**

"Wooo," the sound of Olivia releasing a long breath after the last child in her class had left for the day. It was Friday and she was ready for the day to end with her soaking in her bathtub.

"What a week!" Quinn exclaimed from across the room. They were both clearing the classroom and preparing it for next Monday.

"Say that again. I don't understand how a parent would send their child to school with the flu, knowing that they were sick. Now a third of our students are sick. I swear some parents need to be parents." Olivia complained as she remembers the slight chaos of the past few days.

"I concur. By the way, Tiffany Johnson's, parents ever came to see you?"

"Nope, and I've sent several notes. I'm going to take it up with the school principal. If they don't show up we may have to call in CPS." Olivia added the last part sadly. After five years of being a school teacher the occasional case of child neglect was always present in one way or another, in some of her students. But in Tiffany's case it was much more severe. Some days the child would show up to school with unkempt hair and clothes. Sometimes she would even stink. Olivia had been trying for the past week and half to get into contact with her parents, but to no avail. They never replied to her. Olivia tries her best with the situation but it was beginning to affect the child. The kids in the class didn't want to play with her because she wasn't like them. Many times Tiffany was relegated to playing by herself until Olivia or Quinn made the other kids include her in their games.

"It's just so sad. I remember when my mom died, I was a little girl and my father had to raise me by himself. He tried his best, but sometimes his best wasn't good enough, so at an early age I learned to do a lot of things for myself. I wonder what her story is. She's so smart." Quinn added with a sad smile on her face.

"She really is. We'll fix this. As a matter of fact I think I'll not put this off any longer. Do you mind finishing up while I go speak to Principle Beene?"

"Sure, go ahead. I got this." Quinn returned with a smile. She was simply happy to make a difference in a child's life. That was why she'd became a teacher.

* * *

Olivia spent longer than she had planned to with Principle Beene. Finally reaching a reasonable plan of action to deal with the Johnsons she left the school building. She was running behind from picking up Jackson from his dad. She just realized that Fitz was supposed to be at work fifteen minutes ago.

"Shit, shit," she muttered as she looked down at the missed calls from him. She immediately pressed 1 on her phone, speed dialing him but the phone rang out. She threw the phone onto the passenger seat and sped out of the parking lot.

Olivia arrived at his apartment as fast as traffic would allow her. She quickly parked in the empty visitor spot next to his car and got out of the vehicle.

She waited patiently for him to answer the door. A few seconds passed by before it was opened.

"I'm so sorry I came late. I had to go over some last minute things with Principle Beene." Olivia rushed out.

Fitz grunted a reply at her. "Well better late than never. JT is sleeping in the bedroom." He tells her, retreating into the apartment and giving her space to enter.

Olivia always felt nervous entering his apartment. She didn't like it at all. His apartment represent separation and loneliness. It didn't feel warm or comforting.

"Fitz, I'm really sorry. I know you had to be at work." Olivia spoke again as she watches him roughly throw things into a duffle bag, visibly upset.

"Do you really?" He stopped his actions for a moment to address her.

"Fitz..." Olivia trailed.

"No, it's ok if you don't. Since your job is more important than mine. At least mine pays me enough to live and support my son. Oh yes, I forgot you don't need my money to look after our son. "

Olivia rolled her eyes at him. "You took that the wrong way. I never said that."

"Well what the hell does, "you don't have to give me money for Jackson because we are doing fine" means?"

Olivia was becoming aggravated, leave it to him to be selective in his listening. "I only said that because you said your car engine was given you problems and that it would take $2500 to replace it. That's why I told you that. Fitz, don't try to make me a bad guy here. I was just looking out for you. Something I always do. And look, it gets me nowhere." Olivia finished angrily.

Fitz sighs, he hates arguing with her. Over the course of the past two weeks they were amicable with each other and even spend a lot of time together as a family. But he was so taken aback when a few nights ago she told him about not needing his money when they were returning from the movies with a sleeping JT. He was hurt that she didn't want him supporting them financial anymore, it made things more real for Fitz. So real that he started thinking about ways to better himself. The thought of going back to college entered his mind but he was afraid to even make it more than a thought. It had been quite a few years since he was in school and now he wasn't sure if he had it in him to return.

Clearing his head, he looks at his friend, girl fiend, ex-girlfriend? These days he didn't know what to label her as. Sighing again, he softly says, "I'm sorry."

Olivia steeled herself against his puppy dog eyes before muttering. "It's fine."

"Is it?" Fitz raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"It is." She told him stubbornly.

She shifted from one foot to the next before asking, "Can you bring out, JT?"

"Seriously, Liv. You can go get him yourself."

Olivia looked at him begrudgingly. She'd never been inside of his bedroom, always staying close to the living room whenever she visited.

Not wanting to appear juvenile Olivia took off to the lone bedroom that the apartment held. She was surprised by how clean the room was. The walls were snowy white and the huge queen size bed was draped in navy and white bedding. In the middle of it housed a sleeping Jackson, who was currently lying on his back with one of his legs up on the nearby pillow and his mouth agape. He looked so adorable sleeping in just his T-shirt and pull ups. He was potty trained but they still had misgivings about him sleeping without any protective bottoms on.

Olivia kicks off her flats before climbing onto the bed. Immediately Fitz' scent hits her. The smell of his woodsy and spice cologne mixed with his own unique scent clouded her senses, and sent tingles of pleasure through her body.

Ignoring her body's normal reaction to his spellbinding scent, she moved to lie next to JT. They'd both learned the art of waking him up, it couldn't be done roughly or else he would be grumpy. Instead, they would gently run their fingers through his curly hair and sing softly to him.

Fitz entered the room to the scene of her lying in the middle of his bed, singing to their son. He stood in trance watching them. He wished so much to join them on the bed but he needed to head to work, and besides, his presence may not be welcomed. Shaking himself out of his stupor he side stepped to the adjoined walking closet for a pair of one of his Nike shoes. Shortly after he returned to the room, he sees Olivia dressing a still sleeping JT.

"He's probably exhausted. I took him to the park today." Fitz said as he walked towards her.

"Mmm... Hopefully he wakes up soon or else he will be up late tonight." Olivia returned as she pulled his little basketball shorts up his legs.

Fitz stood to the side watching her dress him.

"I'll take him down," Fitz offered, knowing that his son wasn't exactly lightweight.

"Thanks." Olivia accepted his help while getting up to straighten her clothes.

She didn't realized that two of the buttons on her blouse was opened until she saw Fitz' hungry eyes staring at her chest.

"Sorry," he muttered, looking away after being caught. The peak of her round mounds in white lace wasn't exactly boring so he had a hard time tearing his eyes away at first glanced.

Olivia was flushed as she redo her buttons. The air changed subtly but neither acknowledged it. They silently moved to the living room and then out the door.

Fitz buckled a sleeping Jackson into his car seat before gently closing the door of her car.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He tells Olivia before opening the driver side door of his mustang.

Olivia gave him a small head nod of affirmation before saying, "Have a good shift." She watches as he gives her a wide smile and she returns it.

* * *

The next morning Olivia woke up feeling extremely nauseous. She immediately ran to her bathroom and began hurling up last night's dinner. Oh no, she thought. Now she was sick thanks to her students. Olivia spent the next five minutes with her head in the toilet. When her stomach felt settled she got up from the floor, flushed the toilet and moved to the sink to rinse her mouth and brush her teeth.

Returning to bed she looked at the time, it was only six in the morning so she climbed back under her covers. Relieved that JT would still be knocked out because he went to bed late. When they'd gotten home yesterday from Fitz he was still sound asleep. He'd woken up around 6 PM, during the time he was asleep she took advantage of the time alone to soak in her bathtub, expelling the week's negativity energy.

Closing her eyes, she was about to drift back to sleep when another bout of nausea hits her. Immediately getting up from the bed she rushes to the bathroom to do the same thing she did a mere five minutes ago. Olivia was officially worried she'd gotten sick and didn't want to pass on said sickness to her son. She'll keep a close eye on it.

Half an hour later she was confident that she'd overcome the vomiting, thanks to the sparkling water she kept in the fridge as a substitute for soda.

Padding back to the bedroom, she stops at the bookshelf and pulls down a book she hadn't read in a while. _The Bible_. Tucking herself into bed she reads one of her favorite chapters. 1Corinthians 13 where it talks about love. Not long after she was finished reading she fell asleep to the words; "Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love."

* * *

Fitz was awoken by the shrill sound of his cellphone's ringtone. Looking at the time, he sees that it's only eight in the morning. For the weekend that was too early to be up. Without looking at the phone Fitz answers it gruffly, "hello."

He hears nothing. "Hello," he replies again. He pulls the phone from his ears to see who it was and he saw that it was Olivia's number. "Liv," he tried again but this time he was rewarded with mischievous chuckling.

Fitz couldn't believe who it was. "Jackson," he calls and he laughing grew louder. His laughter was contagious and Fitz chuckled with him, "Jackson Grant answer me."

His small voice laughed, "Dada. It meee."

"Jackson where's your mother?" Fitz inquired, sensing that something was off.

"Mama seep in."

"She's sleeping?"

"Uh huh." Jackson replied while nodding his head up and down as if his father could see him.

"So how did you get mommy's phone?"

"Mama phone on bed. I pwess it and cawll you."

Fitz marveled at his technological abilities. It was pretty impressive for a two years old. Since he was already up Fitz indulged his son in a live conversation. Most of the time he partially understood the gibberish he spoke when he got excited.

A few minutes after Olivia was awoken by Jackson's boisterous laugh. Peeking open her eyes slowly she was surprised to see him with her iPhone to his ears. She thought that he was playing with the phone until she heard a voice speaking on the other end.

"Jackson, who you're talking to?" Her voice startled him.

"Dada. I cawll dada."

Olivia looked at him confused, she stretched out her hands for the phone and said, "Give mommy the phone please."

Jackson gave her the phone and Olivia immediately put it to her ear.

"Hello, good morning."

"Good morning," Fitz returned.

"Did you call us?" Olivia inquired as she didn't hear the phone ring.

"No... I cawll dada." Jackson interrupted.

"Nope, he did, he probably speed dial me." Fitz vouched for his son.

"Mmm. He's a little tech savvy I see. I was surprised to wake up and see him on the phone. Thought he was playing."

"Nope, he was being very real." Fitz laughed.

Olivia stretches and accidentally yawned on the phone. She mumbled an incoherent apologize in between.

"Do you want to talk back to him?"

"Yea, sure."

"Ok, see you later."

Olivia passed the phone back to Jackson and threw her head back on the pillow as she listened to his side of the conversation. She couldn't think of a better way to spend her morning.

* * *

Around noon Olivia was grateful that she was feeling much better as she and Jackson pulled into the driveway of Fitz' mother's house. They parked on one side of the long driveway before climbing out of the car. As soon as Jackson's feet hit the ground he headed off to the front door loudly calling for his Grandma Elizabeth.

Elizabeth opens the door and greets Olivia with a hug and kiss, "you look beautiful, Liv. Skin always glowing. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought you're always pregnant with this glow that you wear."

"Lizzie, don't start," Olivia blushes.

"What? You know I'm serious. I pay money for a tan that is not even as beautiful as your skin. So lap up the compliment darling." She retorts before turning her attention to her grandson. "Lil man, what's up?"

He sheepishly points to the ceiling. It was their running joke.

"The ceiling?" His grandmother asked before scooping him up and planting kisses all over his face.

Shortly after their arrival Olivia and Jackson give his grandmother her birthday gift before offering to help with any last minute party set up. Which wasn't much since the party had a catering service. The backward was beautifully transformed into a semi-Gatsby themed shindig.

Olivia and Elizabeth currently occupied one of the patio settees while Jackson rode around on his tricycle that his grandmother bought for him.

"So how are things treating ya? Feel like we hardly catch up these days." Elizabeth voiced.

"We catch up plenty," Olivia countered while taking a sip of her beverage.

"Not true, we used to hang out. Just us girls, but now you're avoiding me. All you do is spend a few minutes whenever you need to drop or pick up my grandson. But I think I know why," Elizabeth gives her a knowing look.

Olivia didn't want to ask her what her reasoning was, afraid that it might be the truth.

Little did she know that Elizabeth didn't need a response from her in order to continue her analysis, so she continued. "You think that since you and Fitzgerald are separated that it would do you some good by not associating yourself with me."

"That's not true," Olivia replied defensively.

"You may not think you're doing it but subconsciously you're pulling back yourself, Liv."

Olivia sighs because there's nothing else she could say, her mother in law or whatever she was to her was speaking the truth. She was protecting herself in case she and Fitz didn't work out.

"I understand self-preservation, honey, but just know that no matter what, you're always family. You're the only daughter in law for me."

Olivia blushed and wasn't surprised that she would say something like that. She was lucky to have a mother in law that didn't hate her.

Before she could've replied to her, Fitz loud voice interrupts them.

"Where's my boy at?" He inquires merrily.

Jackson was mid peddle when he stopped and hopped off his bike, running towards his father's oncoming presence. "Daddy!" He yelled cheerfully.

Olivia and Elizabeth smiled at the scene in front of them. Olivia couldn't help but admire her little boy's father as he loved up on his son. He had a fresh haircut and his beard was trimmed immaculately. He looked hot… His fitted jeans and white V-neck T-shirt with black graphic design on the front didn't help either. His sunglasses was hooked into the crook of his T-shirt exposing a tad bit of his chest hair. Olivia felt even more hot and bothered in the summer air. Insentiently, she reaches for her glass and takes a gulp of her cold beverage.

Fitz saunters over to them with Jackson in his arms like a held football. He stops and gives his mother a kiss on the cheek wishing her a happy birthday. To Olivia's surprise he also bends down and plants a soft kiss on her cheek. She felt as though she was going to melt from his scorching touch. Having him so close with his soft lips on her skin and masculine scent all made her slightly heady.

Shaking her head from the clouds that filled it, Olivia turns to Elizabeth and says, "You wouldn't believe what your grandson did this morning." And she recalled the story of him calling his father while she was asleep as a means to distract herself. Olivia engaged lively in the conversation, ever present of Fitz' affecting presence a mere few inches in front of her.

* * *

By four the party was in full swing, Fitz was surprised by how many people that showed up. He was trying to distract himself all afternoon because if he didn't, thoughts of doing naughty things to Olivia would be fantasized. It was a little over a month since their last sexual encounter and Fitz would be lying if he said he didn't felt parched. Especially seeing her in a long backless maxi dress. She looked hot and he couldn't control his thoughts whenever he looked at her.

Nursing his second beer for the evening Fitz engaged in a conversation with one of his mother's neighbors. An old guy named Ray who loved to talk about baseball. Fitz humored him and allowed him to speak about anything from the World Series to the best minor league teams.

Their conversation was interrupted when a heavy hand landed onto his shoulder. Turning around Fitz saw that it was his father.

"What's up son?" Big Gerry immediately enveloped him into a hug. Fitz accepted it tensely before stepping out of his grip.

His father's wife, Jenny, stepped forward and also hugged Fitz. "How are you doing, Fitzy?" She asked in a high pitched voice. Fitz hated when she called him that but he humored her with a smile.

"I'm fine." He answered both of their questions.

"Where's my grandson?" Big Gerry's voice booms excitedly.

Fitz scans the room happy to pass off his father's attention to his son. "He's over there," Fitz points to where a fruit table was set up. Jackson was leaned against it while Olivia was getting him some fruit.

"Let me go say hi." Big Gerry said before walking towards their direction with Jenny pacing behind.

Fitz looked down to see the little girl with his eyes staring up at him. She'd grown a lot from since the last time he'd seen her which was about six months ago.

"Hi," her shy voice greets her big brother.

"Hi, Theresa, how are you?" Fitz takes in her tan skin and raven colored hair. She was roughly 6 or 7 years old he wasn't sure.

"I'm good. And you?" She asked a little more confidently.

"I'm ok. Taking it one day at a time." He admitted honestly.

Theresa gives him a nervous smile.

They stood awkwardly staring at each other. Fitz didn't know her well because he didn't spend a lot of time with her. He hardly ever see them, although they lived roughly four hours away in Miami.

"You want to see your nephew?" Fitz asked, deflecting all of the attention from him onto his charming son. He was confident that his son was able to distract all of them. It was a shit move but that was the best one he could think up on the spot.

"Yes, please," Theresa answered with a huge smile. She loved her nephew even though she'd only seen him a handful of times.

Fitz escorted her across the lawn to him and they were all surprised that he remembered her when he screamed, "Auntie Teesa."

* * *

Olivia sat on the adult swing as she watched her son's energy slowly dwindle out. Eventually, he ran to her and plopped his body onto her lap. She knows that he was exhausted keeping up with everyone and everything. She cradles him in her arms and slowly sway from side to side. He smelt like outdoor with a hint of baby tenderness. She inhaled his smell and allowed it to comfort her. She was sitting on the swing that was farther away from the house by the pool area where no one else was. Everyone else was closer to the house where the mosquito repellent was strongest. But she'd walked prepare with her Off! mosquito repellant clip.

"Is this seat taken?" Fitz asked as he joined her from out of the blue. He'd just had a passive aggressive argument with his dad about why they don't see each other more often. He simply told him that communication was a two way street and if he wanted to see him or talk to him he knows how to. Fitz didn't believe that he wanted to spend time with him because he simply wanted to, he believed that it was his guilty conscience trying to undo a hurt that he'd caused. But Fitz didn't care for it so he always declined.

"If it was taken, I guess you would've taken it anyways," Olivia jests.

Fitz chuckles before charmingly replying, "Maybe."

Coincidentally they both inhaled deeply at the same time.

"Someone had a hard day." Fitz said, nodding towards a softly snoring JT in his mother's arms.

"He did. Didn't he? Theresa had him doing it." Olivia recalled the two of them playing all afternoon.

"She's a great kid."

"Like her big brother." Olivia added in a soft voice.

Fitz snorted at her implication.

"I'm being serious, Fitz."

Fitz patted her knees to silently quiet her.

"I have something to tell you." He blurts nervously.

"What's that?" Olivia inquired curiously.

He takes a deep breath before nervously saying, "I'm thinking about going back to school. Maybe become a physical therapist for sports related injuries. I don't know. What do you think?" Fitz was unsure of what she would say, he felt like a little boy waiting for his first crush to acknowledge his existence. It was kind of silly, really.

Olivia watched him and smiled. She'd never been more proud of him. "I think that's a great idea. I support you 100%."

Fitz returns her smile and takes her vacant hand in his and squeezes it. "Thank you for always having my back, Livvie. It's truly appreciated it."

Olivia murmured, "You're welcome."

Together they stayed on the swing long after the sun had went down and the solar lights had begun illuminating the darkness.

From a far off Elizabeth looked at them and smiled, she looked up to the stars and murmurs, "For my 50th birthday I wished that my son and his family would be together."

* * *

**A/N: What are your thoughts? It began a little rough in the beginning there but ended on a positive note. We got introduced to a few new characters. So many things I laid in this chapter that will change the course of their future. Fitz decided to go back to school. Woohoo. Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know your thoughts on the chapter. I appreciate your reviews. **

**Until next time,**

**XOXO.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Hope you enjoy the new update! This chapter covers over a 24 hours period. Enjoy! **

* * *

The night was hot and restless, Olivia tossed and turned in her bed all evening unable to fall asleep. With a loud sigh she looked at her clock to see the time was a little after midnight. It was probably a good thing that she was off tomorrow, thanks to a school holiday. Olivia laid in bed feeling worried and anxious. Something was going on with her body that made her very uneasy. It had been a week and she was still throwing up occasionally. Olivia didn't stop to think that she could possibly be pregnant until one night at her parents' house. Her and Jackson were over there last weekend for dinner and her mother made shrimp scampi. The minute the dish was set in front of her she felt the all familiar bile rise in her throat, she quickly excused herself and went to the nearby bathroom down the hall to empty her stomach. Her worried mother followed after her, the minute she saw her retching over the toilet her words spoken left Olivia in a daze. She said, "You better not be pregnant again." It was then her mind recalled the unprotected quickie her and Fitz had at the gym. How could she have been so reckless? She asked herself. Especially knowing that she had stop using birth control. Olivia was a cold turkey kind of person. If she said that she was going to stop doing something, she did by cutting off all temptations and crutches that would enable her to keep doing it. She foolishly thought by not taking birth control would somehow stopped her from having sex with him. But boy was she wrong.

Her heart was beating fast as she laid in bed at the thought of being pregnant again. _What if I am pregnant? Where does that leave me and Fitz?_ She was scared out of her mind. She was afraid that if this was true all of the progress Fitz had made would regress. She saw how excited he was to return to college, even though he tried to suppress his glee she could see it in his eyes. The worrisome thinking left her feeling queasy and before she knew it she needed to rush to the bathroom to empty her stomach.

Olivia laid halfway across the toilet from the exertion of her strength. Her mind ran to the past where Fitz found her in an almost exact position when she found out she was pregnant with Jackson, but this time there was no Fitz. The thought of that brought tears to her eyes and she began to cry.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

_They had been living together for three months, it was bitter sweet. However, mostly sweet because she got the opportunity to go to sleep and wake up beside the love of her life. The bitter part came in relation to her parents. Her mother didn't hide her disdain when addressing her decision to move in with her boyfriend. Her dad did a better job even though he didn't like the fact that his daughter was shacking up with someone. At the end of the day, her parents, well mostly her dad understood that she was an adult and had the power to choose to do what she wanted. Olivia recalled him telling her, "If God didn't want us to make decisions he wouldn't have given us the power to choose." Olivia was grateful that her father wasn't a bible thumper, sometimes she wondered why he married her mother. They were polar opposites in personalities, her father was calm and nurturing while her mother was a spit fire and loud. _

_A month into living together Olivia realized that she had missed her period. It wasn't a day late nor a week, she missed it completely. She didn't took it too seriously at first because sometimes that happened, she had a somewhat irregular cycle. Plus she blamed the minor stress on the semi-fallout she had with her father and full blown fallout with her mother. It wasn't until she began experiencing dizzy spells and puking, did she really worried. She tried her best to appear to Fitz like nothing different was happening, but he sensed that something was off. Even if her face didn't show it her body surely did. When he would touch her, her breasts were extremely sensitive and hurting. She would play it off like it was nothing when he asked what's wrong, but was internally freaking out that she was pregnant._

_One afternoon while he was at work, she finally found the courage to use the pregnancy test that she had bought and hid in the bathroom cupboard a couple days earlier. It was the longest five minutes of her life as she sat and wait. The sheer nervousness of the situation had her nauseous all over again. Instead of looking at the results that was ready she was puking her lunch out into the toilet. Olivia knew then and there that she was with child without having to look at the pregnancy stick. She didn't know if that made her happy or sad, but the tears flowed down her face nevertheless. _

_"Liv, Livvie?"_

_It was his voice who broke her out of her daze. Instead of moving away from the toilet, she croaked, "In here."_

_A few short seconds later she saw her man and potentially father to her child enter through the door. _

_"I got off early and wanted to —" Fitz' words were cut off at the sight of seeing her on the floor with her back leaned against the wall with tear stains on her face. She looked tired and sick. "Are you ok?" He asked, moving towards her. _

_Olivia simply shook her head no before she audibly said, "no."_

_Fitz got down to her level and touched her forehead. "You're not burning up are you?" He watched as she shook her head no. Fitz surveyed the bathroom to pick up clues as to what could be ailing her since she was only giving him monotone answers. His eyes cast in the toilet bowl and found clear water, he looked at the floor where the tiles were sparkly white, and then he looked up at the bathroom sink where a pink and white pregnancy stick was. He immediately stood to his feet, a rush of adrenaline course through his body. He picked up the stick and read the positive results. Fitz looked from the stick to Olivia and back again. He was going to be a father! I'm going to be a father! His mind shouted. _

_"Livvie, is this true?" His eyes were clouded with tears and his voice broke when he asked the question._

_"What does it say?" She asked softly. _

_"It says that you're pregnant. We're about to have a baby." Fitz couldn't contain his excitement. To him there was no better gift she could have given him. He was having a baby with the love of his life. He scooped her up from off the floor and hugged her tightly in his arms before releasing her out of concern that he would hurt her. They moved to the bedroom and sat on the bed, Fitz' arms were still wrapped tightly around her._

_"How are you feeling?" Fitz asked, he realized that he was the only one in celebration while she sat mute. _

_"Like crap," Olivia said. _

_"I'm sorry. Is there anything you need? I can go grab it."_

_"No," Olivia said, snuggling into his chest more. She hugged him back so tightly that she thought her arms would fall off from the pressure. They stayed silently wrapped up in each other's arms for a long time before Olivia whispered, "I'm scared."_

_Fitz sighed lightly before he said, "me too, but we're in this together."_

_"We're in this together," she repeated, feeling relief. _

* * *

Olivia made her way back to bed after cleaning up herself. With a cold glass of water downed she felt much better. She listened at the baby monitor and could hear Jackson's light snores permeate the room. She tried to let it lull her back to sleep but it didn't work, her mind was too wired. Without thinking she grabbed her phone and dialed Fitz.

"Hello," his sleep muffled voice greeted.

Her face immediately grew into a smile. She missed him and was feeling very vulnerable.

"Hi," she greeted him softly, she wrapped herself tighter in the soft sheets, a cocoon of comfort she created.

"Hi," Fitz said more awake. He was pleasantly surprised that she had called him.

"How are you?" She asked in a sing song voice.

"I'm doing much better since I am hearing your voice," Fitz replied truthfully.

They were silence for a few seconds before Olivia spoke.

"I miss you," she said, trying not to break down into tears. She was feeling emotional and she truly missed him.

"I miss you too, sweet baby. More than you would ever know," Fitz replied in a gruff voice, he too was having a hard time controlling his emotions. Even though he saw her often he missed the intimacy and closeness that they shared. And no, he wasn't referring to just sex. He missed her entire being that was once open to him.

They spent a few more minutes hardly speaking and mostly listening to the other breathe. Olivia eventually succumb to sleep and she mumbled, "good night Fitz, I love you."

Fitz smiled into his phone and absorbed her words into his soul. He had to win her back because she was the love of his life. Although her snores were evidence of her slumber state he returned the same sentiments. "I love you too, Livvie."

* * *

The next morning Fitz stood in his kitchen with a smoothie in hand as he replayed last night conversation with Olivia. He felt very hopeful that she hadn't moved on and that she still loved him. Day by day Fitz was slowly gleaning a new way of life. He felt more confident in himself and his abilities to be a better person. There were things that he needed to do for himself and some things he needed to let go. He was working on such issues, even though it had taking him a while to admit that he had some.

Fitz' thoughts were broken from the ringing of his cellphone. He smiled thinking that it was Olivia, but he couldn't have been more wrong. It was his father. Feeling apprehensive, he answered the phone. "Hello."

"Hi, son, glad I was able to catch you. Everything good?"

Fitz rolled his eyes in mild annoyance and wondered why his father had called. "Yea, everything is good."

"Ok good. Listen, your mother told me that you're going back to school and I just want to tell you how proud I am of you. But, I also want to help you pay for college. I know you never finished because of your mother's and I divorce... I want to help you. If that's ok with you?"

Fitz didn't know what to say or how to accept his father's gift. His father was well off, so much so that after his parents got divorced his mother's 50% was more than enough to not work another day in her life. However, Fitz didn't like taking things from his parents especially his father. That was why he found a job ever since he moved back to Tampa and not relied on them.

"Fitz, are you still there?" His father asked while the line went dead. "I know this may be a big deal for you, but I just want to stand by your side while you do this. I have to go now, I have a conference meeting that is about to start. Just call me whenever, and we'll iron out the details. Have a good day, son." And with that Big Jerry disconnected the call.

Fitz was left dazed. He didn't know what just happen. A part of him felt like an idiot for thinking that his father didn't care for him when it was evidence like this that showed that he cared. Then he also felt prideful, he didn't want to accept his money. He knew that if he was going to go to school on his own that he would face copious amounts of student loans since he didn't have the resources to pay out of pocket. Between living on his own and supporting his son despite Olivia's opposition, he barely had enough left over to pool into Jackson's college fund and pay the rest of his bills. It was a lot to handle but he thought that he was capable and man enough to handle it.

* * *

Later that day around noon, Olivia and Abby was at the mall having a Mani and Pedi day while Jackson was at his father. It had been sometime since Olivia had spent time with her best friend. Even though they technically lived a few doors away from each other in the same apartment complex they didn't bombard each other with their presence.

"Champagne?" The receptionist came over to ask. The beauty spa surely knew how to recapture sales by offering exceptional services including a complimentary glass of champagne albeit cheap. It made the normal person feel as though they were in a luxury spa in Beverly Hills.

"I'll pass," Olivia said just to be safe.

"Since she'll pass, I'll take hers and mine." Abby said and gave the Vietnamese man a sensual smile. He laughed and filled the plastic flute with the cheap champagne and pass it onto her.

"So what's new, Reds? How's work?" She asked, once they were by themselves. Abby was brave and strong enough to work as a high school Sex Education teacher. She didn't know how she got the job because Abby was the last person she would have Jackson listen to about sex. It was funny, really, but she was the best person for it. She spared no information when teaching kids about the cold heart truth and myths about sex. Was she conventional in her teaching? Absolutely not! But she got the message across effectively.

"Same old same old. Some horny teenage boy who think he's in love with me. Some little bitchy early bloomer who think she's better than me. And some old miserable teacher who's probably upset that some high schoolers are getting more than them. My job is the same." She said with a shrug of her shoulder before taking a huge swig of the bubbly liquid. "How about you?"

Olivia laughed because that was what she constantly did in Abby's presence. When her laughter had subsided, she said, "Well for one, no one peed their pants this week. Thank goodness."

"I don't know how you do it, Liv. Those little bodies around you creating havoc." Abby shuddered at the horror of being a kindergarten teacher. She and Olivia were opposites in that aspect. She couldn't fathom being a teacher to 5 years old and Olivia couldn't for teenagers.

"But you don't seem to have a problem with Jackson's, little body around you creating havoc," Olivia laughed.

"That's different. Not only is my godson the cutest, he's the most well behaved child in the world, and he gives the best kisses." Abby retorted smugly. She loved that little boy as if he was hers.

Olivia shook her and allowed her to be. She couldn't disagree with her assessment of her son. As if on cue her phone dinged from an incoming text message, she reached across to the side table where her purse was and took it out. She carefully passed it over the water her feet were soaked in as to not accidentally drop it in. She smiled when she saw that the text message was from Fitz. She opened it and saw the text** "Will you have dinner with us tonight?"** It also carried a photo attachment and she clicked on it. Her heart almost stopped at the selfie Fitz and Jackson took for her. They were both on the couch, Jackson was standing on his father's lap as their cheeks touched each other. They were wearing matching lopsided grin and sparkly blue grey eyes.

"What have you so quiet?" Abby asked. Olivia wordlessly handed her the phone so that she could see the picture.

"Awwww," she cooed. "They're so adorable and speak about twins."

Olivia rolled her eyes because it was true. Jackson was his father with a darker complexion and curlier hair. _Maybe the next one will look like me_, her conscience said. Olivia's eyes widen at the thought.

Abby returned the phone and Olivia sent them a text, **"I would love to," **before she slipped it back inside her purse.

"So, how's things going between you two? The last time we spoke you told me that things were still the same." Abby questioned. She knew the internal struggle her friend went through when she was with him and when she was without him. She hoped that Fitz and her could come to a mutual agreement for the sake of their selves and lastly for Jackson. He was young now and didn't quite understood why he was being passed between two homes but he won't always be young. And one day he's going to start asking questions. She hoped that before that happened they would be back together stronger than ever. She believed in their love but she also understood the complications.

"Yea it's pretty much the same," she lied, hiding the potential storm brewing in the pit of her belly.

"You know I'm here if you need me, right?" Abby always provided her friend a shoulder to cry on or her time to listen to her vent her frustrations.

"Right." Olivia said weakly.

Just then the pedicurists came over to attend to them, the ladies enjoyed their pedicure and manicure with light chatters.

* * *

Fitz and Jackson were walking through Publix doing some grocery shopping for tonight's dinner. Jackson was seated facing him in the shopping cart as he pushed it.

"Dada, peaze," Jackson pointed at the huge lollipop displayed on the shelf.

"That's a very big lollipop, JT," Fitz said with a smile.

Jackson didn't care that it was too big he wanted it. "Peaze dada." He pouted.

"Alright buddy, but just so you know, you're not eating all of this one time."

"Mmmkay." Jackson grunted and Fitz laughed.

Fitz and his son were in their own world negotiating about the lollipop that they didn't realized the tall brunette that was checking them out. She first looked at the little boy who was probably his son because of the resemblance, and she also surveyed the man's left hand for any wedding band. When she didn't see any she strutted over to them, pleased with her new findings.

"Hello there cutie," she came cooing at Jackson. Immediately the little boy looked up from his lollipop to look at her face.

"Hi, excuse me," Fitz interrupted once he realized that she was getting too close to his son and it was making him uncomfortable.

The lady smiled salaciously when she heard his voice addressed her. She stood up to her full 5'7" height and extended her hand towards him. "Hi I'm Mia."

Fitz shook her hands and replied, "I'm Fitz."

"Is this your son?" Mia tilted her head towards Jackson who was busy trying to get the lollipop out of its wrapper.

"Yes." Fitz answered simply.

"He's so cute, but I can see where he got it from," she flirted, twirling her hair around an index finger.

Fitz looked at her disinterestedly, he was ready to get out of there because he needed to be home in enough time to cook dinner for his family.

"Ok thanks," Fitz said casually. "Have a good one." He turned to continue his journey when the woman stopped him by placing her hand on his arm.

"Here's my number. Call me anytime you like." She extended her business card to him. Out of politeness he collected it and smiled. However, the minute he was out of sight and near a trash can he tossed it inside. He wasn't interested in any other woman but the woman who was coming over at his place for dinner.

* * *

Olivia arrived around 6:30 for dinner, the minute she walked through the door the smell of barbecue hit her nostrils. Her tummy immediately rumbled in greeting. Fitz was an excellent griller and she couldn't deny that whatever he was preparing would taste fantastic.

"Mama!" Jackson called as he ran through the apartment to see his mother's petite frame approaching him.

"Hey there sweet boy," she crouched to the ground to scoop him up. "You're sticky," she told him as she hugged him to her chest.

"Dada buy me lolli_pop_," he emphasized the pop.

"Is that so?"

"Uh huh." He giggled when his mother tickled his neck with her nose.

Olivia continued to tease him as they walked towards the kitchen to greet Fitz.

Fitz was transferring the foods onto the plates when she entered carrying a boisterously laughing Jackson.

"Dada save me! Mommy eat me!" Jackson squealed.

Fitz dropped the pair of kitchen tongs and went to his son's rescue. He knew where Olivia was most ticklish and attacked her there.

"Fitz stop it!" Olivia laughed as one of his arms grew tighter around her waist while his other tickled her side threw the tank top she wore.

The three of them spent the next five or so minutes laughing and tickling each other. When they were finished and their breathing was back to normal, without thinking Fitz leaned forward and kissed Olivia. Jackson was still lodged between them as they indulged in a lip lock that was growing intense too quickly. It wasn't until Jackson pushed his face up to theirs that they pulled apart from their kiss.

Without saying anything Fitz moved across to the other side of the kitchen to give them space and to allow his body to cool off. It had been over a month since he last really kissed her and it felt great to be able to do it again.

Olivia held onto a squirming Jackson as a shield to stop herself from launching after Fitz. He wasn't pleased because he wanted to be put down, eventually she placed him onto his two chubby legs.

"Do you need help with anything?" Olivia asked when Jackson had rushed to the living room to play.

"Uh... Sure, you can fill our glasses and Jackson's sippy cup with lemonade."

"Ok," Olivia said as she went to work. She was happy that she had something to do, it took her mind off of him and her potentially pregnant situation. She knew that she should've already bought a pregnancy test, but she didn't want to do it alone and confirm what she thought to be true.

A couple of minutes later they were seated at the small dining table Fitz had gotten from his mom. It basically had two chairs and Jackson's high chair. Everyone dug into the ribs and coleslaw salad he made with the sweet roll he bought from Publix on the side.

"This is really good," Olivia told him mid chew.

"Thanks. I guess I haven't lost my touch although I hardly cook these days."

"So what do you eat?"

"Mom's food or chipotle."

"Still love chipotle I see." She quipped good natured.

At the mention of Chipotle Jackson screamed, "Chitotlay give me life!"

Olivia laughed at what her son said. "What?" She asked.

Fitz also chuckled before he answered, "Harrison, says Chipotle gives me life every time we would go there, so he picked it up I assume."

"I wonder what else Harry is teaching our son," she questioned, humorously.

"Nothing bad I can assure you." Fitz clarified.

"Good," Olivia said while she rubbed her fingers tenderly through Jackson's curls.

Later that evening when dinner was had, the dishes were cleared and Jackson was bathed, Fitz and Olivia were seated in the living room watching Jackson's favorite cartoon. The little man only lasted about twenty minutes before he'd fallen asleep between his parents. Now his sleep induced body was snuggled against his mother's lap. Olivia looked at the time and it was already after eight, she was about to get up and head out when he spoke.

"So... Guess who called me today?"

Olivia hated when he would play the guessing game. "Who?" She asked, suppressing the curiosity in her voice.

"My father."

"Oh yea? What did he want?" Now her curiosity was piqued, because as far as she knew they didn't communicate regularly on the phone.

"Apparently mom told him that I was going back to school and he called to throw money at me. He wants to pay for my tuition."

"That's great news," Olivia said, truly happy for him. She was fortunate enough that her parents had paid for her schooling so she was able to branch out into the world almost debt free. Besides her Chase Freedom credit card and her car note which she had a few more months to pay off, she practically had no other debts. She worried about how he was going to pay for tuition because college can be pricey, but she didn't dare voice her concern.

Fitz didn't like that she got so excited at the sound of his father paying for him. It made him feel inadequate like if she didn't believe that he was capable of doing it himself. "I don't know if I'm going to accept it though." He said casually, brushing imaginary lint from off of his basketball shorts.

Olivia looked at him in disbelief. She knew he was stubborn but she didn't believe he was stupid to turn down this offer. In a voice slightly frustrated, she said, "don't be stupid, Fitz. Nothing is wrong with accepting a little help."

Fitz inhaled deeply because she was probably right, but this was something he wanted to do on his own. "I don't need his help. I can do it on my own. Will I probably have to repay loans? Yes, but at least I would have done it on my own."

"But you don't have to do it on your own. There are so many people around you that are on your side. You don't have to do it alone." Olivia urged.

"I don't know." He shook his head before he added, "I don't feel comfortable accepting his money. I rather not." He told her truthfully.

Olivia didn't think he was making the right decision. So she pleaded with him over and over to consider accepting his father's help until he got frustrated and snapped.

"I don't want his money! Just drop it! What's it to you if I take it or not? I'm still going to take care of Jackson, so you don't have to worry about that!"

In the same heat, Olivia yelled back, "it matters to me because I might be pregnant! We might have another baby!" Olivia clasped her hands over her mouth, she didn't mean to yell that out.

"What?" Fitz asked, he felt like someone had dunk a bucket of ice water on his head.

Olivia unclasped her mouth before she whispered, "I think I'm pregnant."

Her anxious face stared at his equally stunned face, they said nothing. If they were having another baby, then what? They were still at the same impasse and they knew that having a baby didn't fix their problems.

Every time they tried to keep their heads above water, trying to save themselves from drowning, a new wave would cover them over. But they would resurface again.

* * *

**A/N: Yikes… She might be pregnant? Now what? Again, I appreciate the journey you all are taking with me. Thoughts on Fitz not wanting to accept his father's help? Plus I threw in a little kiss to carry us over since these two aren't getting down like that anymore. Lol. How did you like thirsty Mia trying to hit on father and son? HA!**

**And poor Liv feeling vulnerable and reaching out to Fitz via phone. One thing I hope to be clear with is that they love each other. They are just on different pages in life.**

**Thank you again for reading this story and leaving your reviews. They're truly appreciated. **

**Until next time,**

**XOXO**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: It's been a long, long time. This story has been heavy on my mind, but I didn't have any free time to write it. I've been extremely busy lately. Anyways, I got some free time today and decided to write this chapter. It was supposed to be longer than this, but I wanted to leave this particular part by itself, because I want to hear you guys' thoughts on it. So please don't just read it, leave a review. We pick right up from the last chapter. Enjoy!**

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**Recap:**

_In the same heat, Olivia yelled back, "It matters to me because I might be pregnant! We might have another baby!" Olivia clasped her hands over her mouth; she didn't mean to yell that out._

_"What?" Fitz asked, he felt like someone had dunked a bucket of ice water on his head._

_Olivia unclasped her mouth before she whispered, "I think I'm pregnant."_

_Her anxious face stared at his equally stunned face, as they said nothing. If they were going to have another baby, then what? They were still at the same impasse and they knew that having a baby didn't fix their problems._

The tension in the room was palpable, their hearts thumped rapidly in their chests and their breathing sporadic through their nostrils. Sweat beads occupied various parts of their bodies as the words "I think I'm pregnant" circled around heavily in the air. It was as if time stood still.

A few minutes after Olivia vocalized that she could be pregnant again Fitz eventually stood to his feet and went into action mode. He lifted Jackson from off of his mother's lap and carried him to his lone bedroom, and laid him in the middle of the bed. He surrounded him with three pillows, creating a barricade so he won't roll off the bed; then returned to the living room. He grabbed Olivia's car keys from the coffee table so she wouldn't leave and also his. He told her that he was going to the drug store and he left. To his surprise Olivia didn't gave him any sort of opposition.

Twenty minutes later, he returned with 3 different pregnancy kits. Now, Fitz was towering over her petite frame as they stood anxiously awaiting the results of the three pregnancy tests seated on top the bathroom countertop. Per the stopwatch on his phone they had approximately 2 more minutes before they would be able to view the results.

"What are we going to do if I'm pregnant again?" Olivia whispered.

Fitz took a deep breath before he answered, "we'll make it work like we always do."

Olivia sighed. _Are we making it work? _She mentally questioned. _Because if we were we wouldn't be living in separate places, h_er mind answered.

To say that she was worried was a huge understatement, this shouldn't happen again, especially when she's not married. She could only imagine what her mother will have to say. _Oh God, please, no... _She internally begged. Someday she wanted another child with Fitz but today wasn't that day. Uncomfortable from the anxious feelings, Olivia shifted her weight from one leg to the next. She took deep breaths to try and quell her racing heart.

Another minute passed, Fitz noticed on his phone. _What am I going to do if we're pregnant again? _He internally queried. _Financially we aren't prepared for another child. I will definitely have to collect that money from my father. Oh God. Why now? We're not even together together and we're about to be parents again. Oh God, her parents are really going to be pissed with her and I know how much she values their input in her life. How am I going to be able to provide for all of us? How are we going to be able to survive?_

**TIME UP!**

Their eyes stared at all three positive tests. She was indeed pregnant with another Baby Grant.

In her gut she knew she was pregnant, but seeing the results made it all the real, confirming her fears and apprehensions. It's not as if she didn't feel a smidgen of happiness but it was mostly crowded with worry.

Silence cracked the air as they both continued to stare at the pregnancy sticks.

"We're having another baby," Fitz whispered hoarsely. Olivia could tell that he was on the verge of tears. She finally looked up at him with clouded eyes. She also whispered, "we are."

In a moment of heavy emotions Fitz reached his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. Olivia hugged him back tightly and allowed her overwhelming emotions to escape through tears. She cried out her frustrations, she cried out her fears and she also cried in happiness. They clung to each other for emotional support, reveling in the fact that they were going to be parents again. For a brief moment of reprieve they envisioned that everything was well with them.

Twenty minutes later, they were seated on the couch in the living room still snuggled close to each other. They hardly spoke a word, as the revelation of their impending pregnancy was still fresh on their minds. Olivia's head was rested on his sturdy chest listening to his now regular heartbeat. It was slowly lulling her to sleep.

"I should get going," she voiced in a soft voice.

Fitz continued his even measured rubs onto her back as he spoke, "I don't think you should go home now. Stay the night please... You and Jackson can take the bed." He added the last part quickly so she wouldn't think that he had any ulterior motives.

"You don't mind?" She questioned.

Fitz shook his head negatively before he said, "no."

He assisted her off the couch and together they silently walked towards his room. Fitz threw her one of his T-shirts and she returned to the enclosed bathroom to change out of her clothes. In the meantime he maneuvered the pillows from around Jackson's small body and placed them at the head of the bed. He looked down at his sleeping son and couldn't help but smile. He was on his back with his legs spread wide apart. One of his hands was on his chest while the other was extended over his head. His curly hair was wildly splayed on the bed sheet and a few stuck to his forehead. Seeing his predicament, Fitz extended a large hand to smooth his hair back. Mid brushing his hair, Olivia's voice startled him. "You're a great father."

Upon returning to the bedroom she saw Fitz smoothing back Jackson's hair with a small smile displayed on his face. He looked completely enraptured and mesmerized in that moment. She was truly lucky that even though things weren't where she wanted it to be, that her kids will have a father that completely loves them. Caught in the moment, it was when she said, "you're a great father."

Fitz stilled his movements when she spoke those words. He looked up at her to see her glowingly beautiful body standing in the doorway. His navy blue T-shirt covered her body modestly, the hem hitting her mid thighs. Her hair was piled up on top her head and her face freshly washed. She looked so innocent and pure in that moment. Sometimes he wondered what kind of life she would've had, had she not chosen to be with him. Probably would be easier, his mind quipped.

Clearing his throat, he stepped back from the bed and gestured it towards her. He didn't make a reply to her previous statement because he wasn't fully convinced he was that great of a father. Good? Yes, but not great.

Olivia climbed onto the bed and got settled in next to Jackson. The scent of Fitz on the sheets made her feel nostalgic. She watched as he collected a pillow and a throw from off of the iron board in the corner of the room.

"Good night, Livvie," Fitz said as he walked to the bedroom door.

Olivia gazed at his back as he walked.

"Fitz," she called. He stopped walking and turned around. "Please stay." She begged.

Fitz stared at her for a long time without moving, he was debating whether or not he should stay, it wasn't until she nodded her assurance that he took her up on her offer to sleep in the same bed. His strides were purposeful as he made his way back to the bed. He took up residence on the left side, the opposite side of Jackson. With his body now under the shared blanket he searched for her hands over Jackson's body. Once he got a hold of it, he intertwined their fingers, and squeezed it lovingly.

"We'll make this work," was the last thing Olivia heard before she was fast asleep.

She was fortunate to sleep through the night, unlike Fitz who stayed up late thinking of ways they could make this work.

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The next morning Olivia awoke a little confused by her surroundings, it wasn't until it dawned on her that she spent the night at Fitz was she able to relax. But her relaxation was short-lived when she remembered the reason why she stayed the night. She's pregnant. That reminder had her sitting up in bed tensed. She looked around the room for Jackson and Fitz, grateful for the moment of privacy as neither of them were anywhere in sight.

Fitz and Jackson were finishing up breakfast for Olivia in the kitchen, they made scrambled eggs, dry toast, and they cut up some fruits for a fruit salad.

"Ready, JT?" Fitz asked his son who was holding an empty glass. Fitz allowed him to carry it empty instead of filling it with orange juice beforehand to avoid spillage.

"Yessh, dada," he nodded his head frantically, his curls moving carelessly with the action.

Together the boys left the kitchen and moved towards the bedroom.

Olivia's stupor was broken from the sound of the bedroom door opening; she looked up to see Jackson entering with a glass held between both of his chubby hands. Her face immediately brightened at the sight.

"Moornin' mama," Jackson greeted.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she returned, extending her hands towards him. He immediately rushed over to the bed and she hoisted him from off the ground and into her arms. She removed the glass from his hands and immediately began peppering kisses onto his face.

Fitz stood to the side taking in the tender moment portrayed in front of him. The love of his life and the child they made out of said love with another one on their way. This is what he wants to wake up to for the rest of his life. His mind was in another dimension that he didn't see Olivia looking at him.

"Are you going to stand there all morning?" Olivia's teasing voice probed.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts before he chuckled, "no." He then moved towards her and Jackson with the plate and bottle of orange juice in hand. Once he was standing next to her he gave her the loaded plate. "Good morning, Livvie," he told her when he gave her the plate.

Olivia smiled, her heart warmed at the kind gesture of him serving her breakfast in bed. It was the small things he did that made her love him so much. When it came to her or Jackson he was very attentive, always catering to their every need.

Moved by his action and soften by the loving thoughts, she tried swallowing the tears threatening to choke her. When she was sure that she had gotten her emotions under wrap, she finally replied, "Good morning, Fitz."

Fitz smiled down at her; he grabbed the glass lying on the bed and began filling it with orange juice.

"Jackson, stop that!" Olivia reprimanded the little boy for sticking his hand into her fruit salad. "What do you say?" She tested him.

Jackson gave her a sheepish look under his brows as he said, "peaze."

"Much better. Remember we do not stick our hands in people's food. We ask nicely and then wait for them to give us. Ok?" Olivia spoke in her soft nurturing voice, the one she used when she was reprimanding children at school.

"Otay…" he also nodded his affirmation. "Peaze fute, mama," he went on to ask. He was kneeling at her side with his eyes focused on her fruit bowl. He saw strawberries and it was his absolute favorite.

"I'll bring him a bowl," Fitz said, resting the glass of orange juice onto the bedside table before he retreated out of the room.

Two minutes later he reentered the room with a small bowl of thinly sliced strawberries and a plate of food for himself. He gave Jackson the bowl and wasn't surprised when he said thanks. With a mother like Olivia he was sure to grow up with manners. When he was sure that both of them had what they needed he resigned to the foot of the bed where he took a seat.

They sat eating in silence, only the sound of their chewing could be heard. Even Jackson was quiet. Fitz chanced a look at Olivia who was digging into her eggs with a fork. He smirked at the sight. She was a big eater; she could even give him a run for his money. He loved that about her. Her skin glowed even more this morning, one of her shoulders were exposed through the neck of his T-shirt.

They know that they needed to talk about last night but neither felt the need to raise the topic. The moment was too perfect to be tainted by worry.

They finished their family breakfast in silence, when they were done Olivia excused herself to the bathroom where she got redressed in her discarded clothes. She couldn't deny that last night was one of the best sleeps she had in a long time, but she needed to return to her apartment. It was Saturday morning and she had chores to do and errands to run. As she brushed her teeth, using the spare toothbrush she found in Fitz' medicine cabinet, she looked down and saw the discarded pregnancy tests in the wastebasket near the toilet staring at her. The sight of it made Olivia nauseous and she began retching up her breakfast into the sink. In between a never-ending stream of vomiting, she saw in the mirror the bathroom door opened and Fitz entered followed by a jubilant Jackson.

"JT, go play with your basketball hoop," Fitz urged, not wanting him to see his mother sick.

Jackson oblivious to the situation said, "otay," before sauntering off to go play with his Little Tikes basketball hoop set.

Fitz left the door ajar so that he can listen to what he's doing while he tend to Olivia. He made his way over to her and began rubbing circles onto her back as she dried heaved. With one hand rubbing her back, he grabbed an unused washcloth and dampened it over the sink before wiping her forehead and back of her neck with it.

When she signaled that she was finished, he stepped back and allowed her to rinse her mouth with mouthwash and then cleaned the sink. "I need something to drink," she croaked.

"I'll grab you some water," Fitz quickly offered. He made his way out of the bathroom and Olivia followed him. They passed Jackson throwing the small basketball at the hoop with no success of a basket.

Fitz poured her a glass of water and dropped a few cubes of ice into it before handing over the glass to her. She mumbled a thanks before slowly began drinking it.

"I think we should get married," Fitz revealed. That was not how he initially planned to approach the topic with her.

Olivia almost spat the water out of her mouth from his announcement. Swallowing the cold liquid, she returned the glass to the kitchen countertop before asking, "what?"

Fitz exhaled nervously before he repeated what he said, "I think we should get married."

Olivia shook her head negatively as she began pacing on the small kitchen floor. "Fitz, you can't be serious right now. A month ago you didn't even entertained the thought."

"But, I am serious, Olivia. I am very serious. Let's go down to the court and get married. It doesn't have to be grand, just you, JT, a witness and me. Let's do this."

Olivia stopped pacing and looked at his face. These were all the words she wanted to hear for a very long time but hearing it now felt so wrong. _Did he only want to marry me because I'm pregnant again?_

"Fitz, we're all very emotional right now. I don't want to go down that road with you and then you wake up one day detesting me, because I somehow made you do something that you never wanted to do." She reasoned.

Fitz took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose to quell his frustration. This wasn't what he was expecting when he envisioned telling her that they should get married. He admitted that the execution wasn't stellar, but he at least thought she would be a little enthralled by the proposal.

"Olivia, this is what I want. We're about to have another baby and I be damned if we continue to live like this. And quite frankly, this charade we're playing has run way past its expiration date. We shouldn't be living like this. I'm ready to come home; I'm ready to stand by you and our growing family. And if marrying you is what it takes for that to happen then I will do it."

There it goes again, she thought sadly. He is saying all of the things she wanted to hear for a long time but it all felt so wrong. She truly didn't know what to tell him. A part of her wanted to leap at his proposal while another part held back.

"Say something," he pleaded with clasp hands.

Olivia ran her hand over her messy bun. "I don't know what to say. This is all so… sudden, and I don't know what to say. Is it because of the baby?"

"Yes, no, no! I want to get back to where we were, Livvie. I hate living apart from you."

Olivia bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying. Lord… help me, she silently pleaded.

"I don't know, Fitz, yesterday you weren't ready to marry and today you are?"

Fitz sighed loudly and roughly ran his fingers through his curly locks.

"Am I supposed to say yes because you changed your mind?" She continued, despite his growing frustrations.

"Isn't this what you want? Isn't this why I am living here in this godforsaken place? Two and a half months is enough time for us to be on this supposed breakup or whatever it is we're on. I'm in love with _you,_ and I know for a fact that you love me too. So what's the big deal? Let's get married so we can be back together."

A few tears escaped her eyes, a reaction from his words. "Fitz, I want to be back with you so badly. And I want to be your wife, but this is not the way I want it to happen."

"Is it because of my execution? I can buy a ring today and do it over," he said earnestly, hands flailing in the air.

Olivia shook her head frantically - _no_, as she said, "that's not why." She cried. "You only want to marry me because I'm pregnant. I'm sure if I wasn't you wouldn't have asked me to." Tears were now flowing freely down her face.

"Olivia, please don't say it like that. I would've married you eventually, when I was fully ready but I can be ready now. We can't continue to live like this, Livvie," he said softly, wiping the tears from her cheek with the back of his hand. It pained him to see her cry.

"I don't know, Fitz. How do you think my parents are going to feel if I get married behind their backs?"

"Oh my god, I'm pouring my heart out to you and all you're thinking about is how your parents would feel if you go behind their backs. Are you hearing yourself right now, Olivia? The last time I check you're an adult. You behave like you're a child who needs permission when it comes to them. That's your problem, Olivia. Live _your_ life for yourself!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Fitzgerald! Of course I would think of my parents when I make a huge life decision, such as getting married."

Fitz was pissed that she would put her parents' feelings before his. "Well when you get approval from mommy and daddy then call me!" He spat, stepping back from her.

"I don't need anyone's approval, but my damn self!" Olivia hissed at him.

"Oh, you don't? Could have fooled me. Well since you don't, make a decision right now, Olivia. Would you marry me?" He asked in an even tone.

He watched as she opened and closed her mouth several times without saying a word.

"That's what I thought," he said, shaking his head disapprovingly. He pushed himself from off the kitchen cupboard he was leaning against and walked out of the room, leaving a lip quivering Olivia.

Olivia stood in the middle of the kitchen feeling stupid, as she watched him leave. He made her feel like a petulant child. However, those feelings eventually morphed into anger. She was upset that he was turning everything onto her. If he wanted things the way they were he was going to have to do better than a lousy proposal. She was better than that. And even though she loved him she wasn't going to accept his sympathy proposal.

She stormed out the room in search of him. She found him playing with Jackson in the living room.

"You want an answer?" She asked in an aggressive tone.

Fitz stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. He nodded his head yes.

"The answer is not right now."

"So you mean no?" Fitz questioned stoned face.

"I said not right now." She repeated firmly.

"Then when?"

"When I know that you're truly ready for marriage."

Excuse me? When I'm truly ready for marriage?" Fitz reiterated defensively, taken aback by her choice of words.

"Yes."

"Since you know me so well, apparently more than how I know myself, please do tell when I'll be ready for marriage?" He sassed.

"I don't know. Maybe when you're not proposing out of convenience for yourself." She quipped, her hands folded across her waist. They were trying to maintain their inside voices because Jackson was nearby playing.

Fitz was again dumbstruck by her choice of words, and his raised eyebrows indicated this. "Out of convenience? Olivia, do you hear yourself? You need to stop playing the woe is me card. You behave like I'm a monster for wanting you for myself and wanting to be with you. Now that I want to marry you, you still cannot accept that. And it's crazy that you can't, because it's something you've been nagging me about. Tell me what you want? What do I need to do for you to feel comfortable with us being together whether we're married or not? I'm not the bad guy here, Olivia; I didn't steal your innocence. You freely gave it up. You chose to be with _me_ even after I told you I have no interest in getting married. You stayed with me all these years and when you finally had enough, you kicked me out of our home. Now I'm here trying to fix us, by giving you what you want and it's not enough. Tell me what more do I need to do so you will know I am in this with you? Please tell me so I can do it." Fitz didn't mean to get so emotional whilst he spoke, but he couldn't help it. His voice cracked on unshed tears as he bared his heart and soul to her. He truly didn't know what else to do, and he was really trying to fix them.

Olivia was at a lost for words, she stared at him through tears filled eyes. Her life was so complicated and she absolutely needed guidance. She couldn't turn to her mother because all she would receive is judgment. If she went to Abby, she would be helpful but she really didn't want to talk to her. She didn't know what to do. If they got married at least they would be able to live together again, but it didn't feel right to her. She felt like he only wanted to do it because of the baby. Could she lay her self worth down and accept his proposal? She truly didn't have an answer for that. She had no words to articulate the emotions coursing through her body.

"Mama, pee pee," Jackson interrupted their stare down with his hands holding onto the front of his Spiderman pull-ups for a bathroom break.

Olivia wordlessly grabbed his hand and took him to the bathroom. She welcomed the distraction because things were getting heated between her and Fitz. She stood aside watching him pushed down his pull-ups before taking out his penis. He stood on the little bathroom stool that they bought for him and he tried his best to aim at the toilet bowl, he succeeded some and got some on his hands when he did his little shake that his father taught him to do. When he was finished he pulled up his pull-ups and climbed off the stool.

"Fwinissssh," he said triumphantly.

"Yayyy," Olivia cheered him on as she walked over to flush the toilet. After she flushed it, she picked him up so he could wash his hands in the bathroom sink.

"Whoa," he said in fasciation at the bubbles forming from the lathered soap between his hands.

Olivia smiled sadly at him. She looked at his happy face, free from the worries of life, and then she looked at her reflection in the mirror, her face was the complete opposite of his. She was filled with so much worry and anxiety. All of the scriptures that she knew by heart about worry and anxiety were replaying in her mind. _Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries… __Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for __you…_ It gave her some comfort.

She refocused her attention onto Jackson, helping him rinse his sudsy hands. Her gaze eventually moved to her still flat stomach that was nurturing new life. She needed to make a decision, not only for herself but also for her children. She dried Jackson's hands with a piece of paper towel and planted him back onto the floor. Her eyes finally settled on the doorway, where her other half was seated on the other side waiting impatiently on her answer.

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**A/N: What should her answer be? This is so complicated and I love it! She's preggers and things just got a bit more complicated. They're never on the same page with each other. **

**Do you think she should accept Fitz' less than romantic marriage proposal? Or do you see it as a sympathy proposal because of the baby? Is Fitz acting rash by wanting to marry her or you think he's right that they should get married? What about Olivia having reservations with marrying him behind her parents back? Should that matter to her or nah? What should they do when baby#2 is coming in less than 9 months? Should you enter a marriage with someone who doesn't have all of his or her ducks in a row? Questions, questions…**

**Would love to hear your feedback about this chapter, so please leave a review. Thank you.**

**XOXO**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I'm back again. Shocking? IKR! Enjoy! This is a fairly long chapter. And I did a time jump FYI.**

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**_"I'll think about it."_**

**Two Days Later**

Monday morning came around and Olivia was getting ready for work. She had already gotten JT ready for the day. He was sitting in the middle of the living room playing with some jumbo blocks while she hastily moved around the kitchen, packing a lunch bag for herself and some snacks for Jackson. Since finding out that she was pregnant she made a conscious effort to eat properly. She had yet to make a doctor's appointment with her OBGYN but that would be rectified during her lunch break today.

Since returning from Fitz' place on Saturday they hardly spoke to each other. The few times he called to wish Jackson a good night at bedtime, she simply transferred the phone to him. The proposal weighed heavily on her mind day and night. She thought about it every waking moment. She knew the answer she gave him on Saturday wasn't what he had wanted to hear, but that was all she could've offered then. She told him that she was going to think about it, and that is what she has been doing for the past two days.

"Mama, doo-doo," Jackson said, as he entered the kitchen walking funny.

The scent of his soiled bottom hit her nostrils. Olivia stopped her movements to look at him. "Oh no, Jackson, did you doo-doo on yourself?"

He nodded his head yes. "Yessh," he further offered.

Olivia took a deep breath and shook her head at him, sometimes he would be fine and ask to go to the bathroom when he felt like he's ready to go then sometimes he just let's it happen. She knew that he was only 2 years old and recently so, so she couldn't pressure him too much.

Olivia placed the Ziploc bag of fruit into her lunch bag before she went over to him. She lifted him up and carried him to his bedroom where she grabbed a bunch of wipes and an unused pull-up; before taking off the little cargo pants she dressed him in and stripping him from the soiled diaper.

"You're going to be a big brother soon, JT, and you're going to have to help mommy by not having accidents. Do you think you can do that?" She asked as she tended to her little guy.

"Big bwotha?" Was all Jackson got from her statement. He was busy fumbling with the bottle of powder that was settled on top his changing table.

"Yes, sweetie, you're going to be a big brother," she repeated. Olivia didn't realized how happy and light her tone was when she spoke about her pregnancy. She actually felt good talking about it.

When she was finished she lifted him up and gave him a smooch on the lips.

* * *

Fitz had woken up since 6 AM he couldn't sleep. Something he was hardly getting since Saturday. His every moment was consumed by thoughts of Olivia and his family. He needed her to see that them getting back together was for the best. He knew that he's not fully ready to get married but he's willing and able to try. He wants to do right by her and by his kids.

He lay in bed staring at the ceiling thinking about his personal goals. He realized that he needed to step up to the plate big time when it came to his finances. With a second child on the way they're going to need a bigger place than the two bedrooms apartment that they lived in.

Rubbing his hands over his face Fitz made up his mind to do the one thing he didn't want to do, he realized that he didn't have the choice to be a nitpicker.

He grabbed his cellphone from the bedside table and checked the time. It was already eight. Fitz scrolled through his call log and dialed the number that he rarely called.

"Dad?" Fitz' uncertain voice answered when the older man said hello.

"Hi son, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine. How's yourself?" Fitz tried to make small talk.

"Everything is good. Just dropped your sister off at school and I'm heading to the office right now." Big Jerry spoke through the Bluetooth of his car as he maneuvered the streets of Miami.

"Oh, tell her I said hi," Fitz said.

"I will do that for you son, even though I know she would much rather hear it directly from you."

"Right."

An awkward silence overtook them.

"Uh… Um… Dad, can I ask… you a question?" Fitz fumbled.

"Sure…" Big Jerry trailed.

Fitz took a deep breath, swallowing his pride before he asked, "Is your offer to pay for my college tuition still open?"

Without hesitation, Big Jerry answered, "absolutely yes, son. It would be a honor to help my first born."

Fitz could feel his pride getting wounded but he ignored it. His father wanted to help him and he was going to accept it. He had no other choice.

"I appreciate it, dad. Thank you," he finally said.

* * *

After calling and setting an appointment with her doctor for Friday, Olivia joined Quinn at the small table in the corner of the teacher's lunchroom. They were not on lunch duty so they were able to share a somewhat adult lunch together. The ladies chatted about small stuffs; they were getting to know each other more.

"Can I ask you something?" Olivia queried, returning the lid to cover her lunch bowl.

"Sure." Quinn chirped.

"Let's say you were dating a guy for 5 years and on a few occasions you raised the topic of marriage with him, but he doesn't believe in it. Fast-forward to five years later and you're still very much in love with him. A crisis arises that will potentially change both your lives and now he's ready to get married to you. How would handle it?"

Quinn stared at her long and hard; she already discerned that this wasn't a hypothetical question. This was Olivia's life, she concluded. She knew her coworker didn't divulge much of her personal life so this came as a surprise. Normally, she would get the occasional Jackson stories and cellphone pictures of him. She always wondered about Jackson's father but never probed.

Clearing her thoughts, Quinn focused on the now. "Well it depends on how much I love him and he loves me. If I believe he's coming from a sincere place and not because of the crisis I would marry him. People change; don't believe a person who says differently. People do and can change."

Olivia nodded her head in acknowledgement. "What if you're not sure he only proposed to you because of the situation you're in? Like a sympathy proposal."

"Then I would tell him to go F himself," Quinn said with the straightest face, which caused Olivia to giggle. It was funny hearing her said F and not the full curse word when she has the most animated voice. She sounded too adorable, Olivia thought.

"I'm serious, Liv! The last thing I need is pity dick. No thank you, ma'am! I much rather handle things myself," Quinn wiggled her eyebrows playfully causing Olivia to laugh harder. A few of the surrounding staff members took notice and weren't pleased with the noise they were making.

Unfortunately, their lunchtime came to an end and they weren't able to finish up on their conversation.

* * *

Tuesday came around; Olivia was frantically pacing in the hallway outside her classroom waiting on Fitz to answer his phone. Knowing that she needed to talk to Fitz, she told Quinn she had an emergency call to make before leaving the classroom. Her father texted five minutes ago, he needed someone to come get Jackson. One of the elders from his church got admitted into the hospital for a heart attack and he wanted to go visit them. Olivia couldn't up and leave her class so she did the next best thing and called Fitz.

"Hello," Fitz answered the phone.

"Hi, I don't mean to bother you at work but this is sort of urgent. Dad has to go to the hospital and mom is showing a house today. Is there anyway you can go pick up Jackson?" Olivia knew she was asking him to do a great task. His relationship with her parents even though amicable still carried loads of tensions, especially where her mother was concerned.

"Uh… sure…" Fitz trailed, rubbing his hand over his face.

"Can you leave now?" She queried.

"Yea, I'll leave now. I'll bring him back to work with me; you can come get him after work."

"Sounds like a plan, thank you so much, Fitz." Olivia spoke in relief.

"Don' mention it. Talk to you later," he replied.

"See you soon," Olivia said before disconnecting the call and returning to her classroom.

Fitz told his supervisor that he needed to step out for a minute before he left. In which they had no problems with because things were slow at the moment.

He rode the twenty minutes journey in deep concentration; only the radio playing the top five songs of the day could be heard. Once he arrived at his location, he pulled into the driveway of Olivia's childhood home and parked his mustang before hauling his body out.

Fitz strode up to the front door wearing a simple black Nike basketball shorts, an orange fitted T-shirt and a pair of white and black Nike trainers on his feet. That was his typical outfit for work. Once standing in front of the door he rang the doorbell and waited for it to open.

John opened the door and immediately greeted him with a smile. "Fitz, it's so good to see."

Fitz returned his smile. "Good to see you too, Mr. Pope." He said simply.

"Come in, come in," John stepped aside to give him room to enter.

Fitz accepted the invitation and entered the house. He took in the familiar Victorian style decor. It had been quite awhile since he had visited.

"Your boy is sleeping, I guess the Florida heat is making him tired. And it was awfully hot today," John said as he lead him towards the kitchen area.

"It's like 90 degrees out today," Fitz chimed in.

"Feels more like a 100. So how are things with you?" John asked, motioning him to occupy one of the barstools in which Fitz took.

"Uh… Things are ok," he answered. Fitz was wondering why he was making small talks and killing time when he was supposed to be heading to the hospital. "Is everything ok with the person at the hospital?" He decided to ask,

"It is. I just got off the phone with the wife before you came. Bill wasn't having a heart attack it was actually gas. I'm still going to go over and check on him, but I'm in no rush. Since you're over here, I was actually thinking that now is a good time for us to have a talk. It's been awhile since we last spoke to each other, and I would love for us to catch up.

Fitz couldn't help but be alarmed by this. He felt trapped and cornered. But he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he looked at the older distinguish looking man with a straight face.

"Sounds good to me," he spoke coolly.

"Would you like something to drink?" John offered, opening the door to the refrigerator.

"I'll take some water please."

John grabbed a bottle of water and carried it over to Fitz. He mumbled you're welcome when he said thanks. He watched as the young man cracked the seal before bringing the bottle to his mouth and drinking it.

When he was finished drinking the water he placed the empty bottle on the countertop. Fitz didn't know what to say to the older man, so he sat there fiddling with the bottle's plastic label.

"The other night I had a dream about you." John admitted, breaking their silence.

Ok… was all Fitz could think. He should probably ask what the dream was about, but he kind of didn't want to know in case it was bad.

John continued despite his lack of input. "I dreamt that the two of us were trapped in a room together with no one else around, but a giant TV screen. The screen was showing my life story in reversal. And when it started showing my ugly past you looked over at me with a smile on your face and said, "there's hope for me too," then you asked me to lead you to Christ and I did. I'm telling you this story to let you know that I don't judge you nor hate you because of the situation my daughter's in. Son, I cannot even begin to hate you. Because you know why?"

John stopped talking to stare into his blue eyes.

"Why?" Fitz' mouth finally moved to ask.

John answered, "Those that have been forgiven much, loves much. When I was a young man before I met my wife and had Olivia I wasn't quarter of the man I am today. God has brought me a mighty long way. I wasn't always Pastor Pope, you know," John joked and Fitz gave a light chuckle.

"I feel really inclined to share a part of my past with you. Hope you don't mind? I promise I'll be quick." John quipped, looking down at his watch.

"It's fine," Fitz obliged. He was interested to hear what he had to say.

Fitz listened keenly as John began talking in his signature orating voice.

"I was 24 living in Atlanta with my girlfriend at the time. Things were going good; I had my little job making a few dollars down at the factory. Then one day things went downhill really fast. Our factory had to layoff 100 workers and I was one of them who got layoff. That was only the beginning of my rock bottom. After getting layoff I tried applying for other jobs but I had gotten no callback. One month turned in to two with no luck. By the end of month 2 I started drinking excessively, because it took away the pain of me feeling like a loser, by now my girlfriend was growing frustrated with me. At the time she was the only one working, she worked as a receptionist at a small paper making company. Her money paid the bills. I remember feeling so emasculated. That didn't help my pitiful state, so all I did was drowned my sorrows in a bottle of liquor even more. When I thought things couldn't have gotten worst, I found out that we were expecting a child. At the time I was so immature and irresponsible that I told her to get rid of it, I didn't want to be a father. I couldn't afford to be a father. I had no job, no money, no nothing. We fought a lot about it because she really wanted to keep the baby. Eventually, I won. She succumbed to my demands and we got rid of it." John stopped talking for a second, a sad smile graced his face. Shaking his head, he continued.

"From since that day, I watched my girlfriend became a shell of herself. She started drinking heavily and we would fight even more. She hated me and now I can see why. I broke her emotionally, physically and spiritually. I couldn't take that responsible so I left her and moved to New York. When I got to New York I was fortunate to find a job, so my life had returned to somewhat normal. I still hanged onto the bottle occasionally but not as much as I did in Atlanta." He paused again.

"I remember the exact date when I felt like I was literally going to lose my mind. It was November 10th, 1970 when I got home from work. My buddy who lived in Atlanta had called me to tell me that Shelly, my girlfriend at the time, killed herself. You can't even begin to understand how devastated I was. I saw myself as a monster for a very long time. I was in such a dark place; I did things I'm not proud of. But, it was by God's grace that I was able to rise from the ashes." John paused, to take a deep breath. Speaking about his past always made him emotional. The pain he inflicted on Shelly still haunted him. It was a torn in his flesh, a reminded of God's goodness and grace for his wretched soul.

"I'm not perfect and no one is. I don't know why I'm telling you all of this, but I just feel the need to share my story with you. Please don't ever feel that I hate you because that's the furthest thing from the truth. You're twice the man I could have ever been. You stood by my daughter's side when she got JT and for that I'm very appreciative. You took in the role of a father to my grandson; he worships the ground you walk on. You're doing something right. You may feel a little lost right now, but I can assure you that you're not too far from being found. Just hang in there. Like I told, Livvie, you got to fight for what you want. You can't give up easy. God is a God of second chances. Take it one step at a time."

"Wow!" Fitz exclaimed. That was a lot to take in. You just never know what another person has been through in life, he thought. Fitz felt his heart softening. It felt great for a man with such caliber to commend him for being a great father despite his feelings of inadequacy.

"My past often leaves people speechless," John said lightheartedly.

"No it's not that, it's just a lot to take in. I appreciate you sharing this with me. It leaves me with a lot to ponder on."

John gave him a polite head nod.

A heavy silence fell over them, both men were in deep focus. All of a sudden Fitz felt inclined to open up his heart.

"I know I've not necessarily dated your daughter the way that you would have liked, and for that I'm sorry. But, I want to fix this. I want to rectify this situation. I want to marry her. This is probably outdated and I'm already doing it backwards, but I would still like to ask you. May I have your daughter's hand in marriage? I love her and I want to be with her and my family for the rest of my life. I know that there's no one else for me." Fitz spoke boldly.

John smirked and shook his head no. When he saw Fitz' alarmed expression he burst out laughing. "I'm just kidding, you can relax." He laughed again when Fitz visibly relaxed. John waited until his laughter had subsided before he said, "I thought you would never ask."

* * *

"Jackson, you can't do that!" Fitz called after his son who was trying to pull down some of the flyers that people left as advertisement at the gym.

"Oh leave him, Fitz," Cathy the receptionist said. Everyone in the office was enjoying having him there. Even the members who happened to see him cooed at how cute he is and how much he looked like his father. Some of Fitz' ladies admirers were getting heart eyes when they saw the two interact.

Fitz shook his head and walked over to him so that he wouldn't make a mess. He picked him up to his disapproval, and he began wiggling his little body in his father's firm grip.

"Settle down," Fitz warned him. He walked out of the office area and into the main part of the gym still holding him. Fitz was taking him to the vending machine when he saw Olivia outside talking to a guy through the glass wall. He watched as she laughed at something the guy said, the sight of them made Fitz extremely jealous. Before Fitz could make a move towards her, Stephen walked up to him.

"Jack!" He called Jackson; he was the only one who did.

Jackson leaped in his father's arms when he saw one of his favorite guys. "Swevieee!" Jackson squealed.

Stephen smiled at the little boy and held out his hand for him to fist him. The minute his little fist connected with his, he said, "ayyy," which caused Jackson to say, "again again."

Fitz was momentarily distracted so he didn't see when Olivia had entered the building and was walking towards them.

"Gentlemen," she greeted in a playful tone.

"Mommy!" Jackson squealed upon hearing her voice. He immediately launched out of his father's arms and into hers.

Olivia peppered his face with kisses as she told him how much she missed him.

"Hey Liv, long time no see," Stephen greeted, giving her a friendly hug.

"I know. How are you, Stephen?" She asked when the hug ended.

"Busy, but good. Can't complain." He responded.

Meanwhile, Fitz stood to the side taking her in. She was dressed in a denim shirtdress, paired with black leggings and polka dotted flats. Her hair was in her signature bun with her face bearing little to no makeup. She looked her usual radiant self.

"See you tomorrow, Liv!" The same guy Fitz saw her talking to outside passed by them.

"Alright, Anthony!" Olivia called after him. Balancing Jackson on her hip, Olivia regarded Fitz. He looked aggravated and tensed; she thought that probably had to do with her uncertainty about getting married to him.

"Well it was nice seeing you, Liv. Take care. Oh Jack, one more time!" Stephen said, proffering his fist to JT for him to pound. When he did JT laughed again. He loved being treated like a big boy.

"You too, Stephen," Olivia returned and Stephen walked away.

"Can we talk?" she asked Fitz once they were by themselves.

"Sure, we can go outside."

Before heading through the door, Fitz grabbed JT's diaper bag so he wouldn't have to return for it. He followed Olivia to her car and they stood outside of it while Jackson was in the driver's seat pretending to drive with the door open.

They made small talk for a bit. Fitz wanted to ask who that guy was but refrained from it. He didn't want to seem jealous.

"I have a doctor's appointment on Friday," she interjected into their conversation.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"At 4, that's the latest one I could get. I know you have to work but it would be nice if you could accompany me."

"Of course I want to be there, Livvie." Fitz said sincerely, his blue orbs boring into her chocolate brown ones.

"Great." Olivia gave him a shy smile and Fitz returned it.

They stood staring at each other in silence. So much to say but no words to properly express themselves. Before either of them could conjure anything to say their moment was broken when Jackson honked the car horn startling them.

Olivia reached inside of the car and collected his mischievous body. He laughed at his action delighted in the fact that he had made the car talk. He mentally stored that information inside of his head for future purposes.

"I'll let you guys go. Take Curious George home." Fitz leaned in and gave Jackson a kiss on the cheek before giving Olivia one. He couldn't help not touch her when she was so close to him.

"Tell daddy bye bye," She urged Jackson.

"Ta ta," Jackson said, waving at him.

"Ta ta," Fitz reciprocated, also waving at him.

"I'll call you," Olivia yelled after his retreating body; he simply nodded his acknowledgement before disappearing inside of the building.

* * *

On Thursday night Olivia was seated in her living room updating her best friend about the events that has been going on in her life. Midway through the conversation Abby stopped her and got up to go grab a bottle of wine from her apartment. The conversation needed something stronger than a cup of tea. She didn't even bother to grab a wine glass on her way back; she guzzled it straight from the bottle.

"So what are you going to do?" Abby asked after she was finishing telling her everything, from being pregnant to Fitz' impromptu proposal.

Olivia sighed deeply and rested her head on the back of the sofa. All week she has thought about it and she knew she needed to make a decision soon for herself and for her kids.

"I love him," she stated simply. "And I want to spend the rest of my life with him. I know that for a fact."

"So you're going to say yes?" Abby implored, even though she knew the answer. Knowing Olivia for as long as she has, she knew that when Olivia loves she loves deeply. And when it came to Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III she loves that man deeply. He was her first love, her first everything.

"What else could I say? We have the rest of our lives to work our issues out, so why not be together while we do so. I'm miserable without him and he's miserable without me, and it's just sad and depressing. And I don't want to raise my children as a single mother. The main issue we're not together is being fixed. This is what I always wanted, so I'm going to say yes. I love him more than a lousy proposal."

"Wow," Abby said. She'd never heard Olivia spoke with so much conviction and confidence.

"You've put a lot of thought into this?"

Olivia nodded her head yes. "I have."

"And what about your parents? Are you going to tell them?"

Olivia exhaled. "I mean I could. I would love for them to be there, but at the same time I don't want anyone's judgment to lurk over us. I'm doing this for me, for us."

Abby nodded her head in understanding before taking another gigantic swig of her wine. She knew all too well about Jackie's passive aggressive conversations she has with her daughter.

"So you're going to do this at a courthouse? Are you ok with that?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulder casually before she answered, "To be honest, I would rather a minister married us instead of a judge. I feel like we would be more bless that way."

"Ok, then you should have that. I don't see why you can't have the wedding you want."

"I don't know if he would want to —"

"Hold up! You're an equal part in this relationship, right?" Abby interrupted. Olivia answered by nodding yes. "Then you have some say in what your wedding should be like. The proposal was already crap. No offense to Fitz, I know he loves you and all, but he could've done a _whole_ lot better. As a matter-of-fact I'm designating myself as your wedding planner. I'm in charge of making your day somewhat memorable. As your best friend I owe you that much."

Olivia got misty eyed. "Are you serious?" she asked her best friend with a hint of skepticism in her voice.

"I'm very serious Olivia Pope soon to be Grant. All I want is my best friend to be happy and I know that stubborn mule you're with makes you happy. So I'll do everything within my power to make you have a good wedding day." Abby extended her index finger to her so they could do their secret finger shake. That was something they created when they were younger instead of doing a pinky swear.

Olivia smiled heartwarmingly at her friend and proffered her index finger also. When their fingers got connected they simultaneously said, "girls fa life!" Then they erupted into laughter. Hugging each other, Abby whispered, "it's time you live for you."

Olivia pulled apart from her hug, nodding her head, she said, "I am. I'm going to."

When Abby left for her apartment Olivia went into Jackson's room to check on him. She stood over his slumbered body and smiled. He looked so peaceful and innocent; she prayed he stayed that way for as long as he possibly can. Bringing her lips down to kiss his forehead, she whispered, "We'll be a family again."

Olivia was getting ready to slide between the sheets when her cellphone started ringing. She grabbed it from the nightstand and looked at the screen. When she saw that it was Fitz calling her heart started beating rapidly. She stared at the screen for a very long time, almost missing his call before she finally answered it on the last ring.

"Hi," she greeted softly, lying on the soft mattress.

"Hi. Am I catching you at a bad time?"

"No, it's ok." She quickly replied.

"Ok.

"Is everything ok?" She inquired.

"Yea, yea," he answered. She smiled, envisioning him nodding his head as he spoke.

"We're still on for Dr. Lisa tomorrow, right?"

"At 4 O' clock." Olivia confirmed a little high pitched.

"Good, good." Hmmm, Olivia thought to herself. What was he nervous about? She knew he has a habit of saying things twice when he's nervous.

"I'll see you then."

"Uh, Livvie, uh… I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner tomorrow night after the appointment? We can go to Michelli's?" He mentioned her favorite Italian restaurant. It's a hole in the wall kind of restaurant. He figured she loved it so much because that was where they had their first date. Plus it wasn't too far from the boardwalk.

Olivia smiled to herself before giving him her answer. "I would love to."

"Great!" She could hear the relief in his voice.

"Alright, see you tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Livvie."

"Sweet dreams, Fitz."

They stayed online for a more few seconds listening to the other breathe before Olivia disconnected the call. It was already late and she needed to sleep for the long day ahead of her.

* * *

Olivia and Fitz were escorted to the examining room thirty minutes ago, where her vitals were checked, a sample of her urine had been collected and a tube of blood was drawn from her right arm. Now they were waiting for Dr. Lisa to enter the room. Dr. Lisa was a short Indonesian woman with a kind sprit and healing hands. It was very evident that she enjoyed her job with the way she interacted with her patients. She has been Olivia's gynecologist for the past five and a half years.

Olivia laid on top of the examining table with Fitz sitting to her right on the white chair.

"So this is really happening again, huh?" Fitz said, looking around the room, observing the various posters that were on the walls.

"It probably is," Olivia answered.

"One time is all it takes." Fitz jested.

She laughed lightly, something she occasional did when she really thought of her situation. It was sort of funny to her, like a bad romantic comedy.

The sound of the door broke their moment and in came Dr. Lisa.

"Well hello to you two." She greeted. "What do we have here today?"

"Hi Dr. Lisa," Olivia greeted. Fitz stood to his feet and greeted her with a handshake.

"So, congratulation is in order. You're definitely pregnant based off of your urine analysis and blood work. 5 weeks to be exact." Dr. Lisa read from the lab paper that one of the nurses had handed to her five minutes ago.

Fitz looked at Olivia and she looked back at him and they exchanged knowing glances, because they could pinpoint the exact moment when their baby was conceived.

Dr. Lisa went over other things related to her pregnancy before she started up the ultrasound machine. She applied the gel to her belly before rolling the wand over her lower stomach.

"There's your little peanut. So far everything looks good." Dr. Lisa relayed. She froze the image on the screen and removed the wand from her stomach. She wiped the gel off with a piece of paper towel before discarding it into the nearby wastebasket. She then stepped aside to give them some privacy.

Olivia and Fitz' eyes were trained on the screen. They were fascinated by the little life growing inside of her womb. The same intense emotions that were present when she was getting Jackson overcame her and she began to cry, body-racking sobs. Fitz immediately enveloped her into his arms and held her against his chest. Olivia welcomed his embrace, as they were no other arms she would rather be in.

When there emotions were collected Dr. Lisa went over some additional information with them before she wrote a prenatal prescription for Olivia.

Fitz walked her to her car and opened the driver side door for her.

"Thanks," she told him as she climbed into her Corolla.

"No problem. See you at the restaurant," he told her before closing her car door. When she had driven out of the parking lot Fitz then walked over to his car. He opened the door and climbed inside. When he was inside he opened the glove compartment and grabbed the small black box.

* * *

Olivia was digging into her spaghetti and meatball; she didn't realized how hungry she was until the mouthwatering plate was set in front of her. It had been a long time since she'd been to Michelli's and that was because she normally went with Fitz.

Fitz was content with watching her eat. They made small talks here and there but for the most part it was comfortable silence.

When her stomach was filled she pushed back the plate containing the remaining pasta. Taking a drink of her cool water, Olivia stared at him. For a few seconds they stared at each other longingly.

"How did we get here?" Olivia asked, fiddling with the red table napkin.

"We took Emerson," Fitz bantered, referring to the name of street they had to take to get to the restaurant.

Olivia laughed and playfully tossed her napkin at him. "I didn't mean that silly."

Fitz absorbed the warmth of her laughter; it was music to his ears and honey to his soul.

"I really don't know. I thought you were happy with the way things were, I probably should have noticed that you weren't." Fitz answered seriously this time.

"It's not that I wasn't happy, I just felt stuck in a rut. I felt like we weren't going anywhere and it made me miserable."

"I'm sorry you felt that way. I realized now that when you're in a relationship you have to make compromises."

Olivia nodded her head in agreement. "And I'm sorry I tried to change you. Even though you said that you were not interested in marriage, I always thought that you would change your view."

"But I have," Fitz added.

"I know you have and that's why I want to give you an answer —"

"Uh, before you do that let's take a walk on the boardwalk." Fitz interrupted.

The waiter came to their table and asked if they needed dessert, when both parties declined their check was brought out and Fitz took care of it.

Together they walked out into the cool evening air, admiring the soft glow that the descending sun was causing. As they got closer to the boardwalk, Fitz slipped his hand into Liv's and held onto it; she didn't take long to return his gesture. There were other people around with their significant others, family and friends or by themselves taking in the beautiful sunset.

They walked the long boardwalk in silence until they came upon a secluded spot that was currently vacant at the end. That part went over the water. Instead of releasing each other's hands they held on tighter.

"You know I love you right?" Fitz spoke, his face staring forward at the sunset.

"I do."

"And you believe that I want to do right by you and our family?"

"I do." Olivia turned to look at him after she realized that he released his grip on her hand. The sight she saw had her holding onto her chest.

Fitz got on his left knee as he spoke, "I accept that the first time I did this I was ill prepared, but this is my do over."

"Oh God!" Olivia gasped, covering her mouth with one of her hands. She didn't expect this to happen, she actually came here to persuade him that they should get married. She watched as he grabbed a black box from the front pocket of his jeans.

"Olivia Carolyn Pope, from the moment I laid eyes on you I knew I wanted to date you. When I got the opportunity to date you, I knew I wanted you to be my girlfriend. When you became my girlfriend, I envisioned spending the rest of my life with you and having kids. Now, I'm envisioning you as my wife, I want to grow old with you. I want you to be able to be proud of our relationship and us. But most importantly I want to make you happy, Livvie. Will you make me the happiest man by accepting my marriage proposal? Will you marry me?"

Tears were streaming down Olivia's face clouding her vision. The final rope of hesitancy was snapped from around her heart. She nodded her head frantically as she said, "yes, yes, yes."

Fitz slipped the simple princess cut diamond ring onto her ring finger. He had bought it from Zales earlier in the week. It wasn't extravagant but it was something he knew she would like.

Olivia looked down at the ring and back at him. She wasn't overjoyed because she got a ring that was the icing on the cake; however, she was overjoyed because her prayers to marry the love of her life have been answered. This was one step closer to where she wanted to be, and where she wanted them to be as a couple.

Fitz got up from his knee and scooped her up into his arms. He hugged her tightly before pulling back and giving her the sweetest and gentlest kiss.

"I love you so much, Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III." Olivia said through tears. The emotions coursing through her body made her a weeping mess.

"I love you too, Livvie. So much."

* * *

**A/N: Wooooo this was a loaded chapter and I hoped you enjoyed it. Now the fun has begun. It was wonderful reading your reviews, some of you said that she should say yes while some said no. Loved reading all of it and everyone's POV. However, please note that their troubles won't go away because they simply decided to get married. It was a decision they both thought was best for them and their family. **

**For those that said no, do you still think that they shouldn't go forward with it? Did you like the talk with Fitz and Olivia's dad? BTW, I want to portray John as a loving person, because not all Christians are preachy preachy in your face. So, I want to represent other Christians who are very loving and caring. Also, thoughts on Fitz asking him for Olivia's hand in marriage? **

**Surprisingly, Abby wasn't judgmental when Olivia confided in her. She actually wants to help give her a proper wedding. You think she should? How do you think Olivia's mother will react to the news if she gets wind of all of this?**

**Oh, Fitz finally talked to his dad about paying for his tuition. **

**BTW how cute is Jackson?**

**Finally, how did Fitz do the second time around proposing?**

**Leave your honest to goodness thoughts. I would love to hear it. Thanks again for reading this story.**

**Until next time, **

**XOXO**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Let it go on record, this is by far the longest chapter I've ever written 10,000+ words. I was going to split it into two but decided against it. Enjoy! Thank you again for all of the wonderful support and review for this story.**

* * *

For the past week and a half Olivia and Fitz were much more affectionate with each other. They spent a lot of time talking on the phone and when possible hung out with each other, both as a couple and as a family with Jackson. They talked about their future together and for the first time Olivia didn't feel a dark cloud shadowing over them. She felt optimistic and happy, very happy. And today was one of the happiest days she had in quite some time.

It was a typical sunny afternoon in West Central Florida; the wind was cool due to the setting sun. Olivia noticed all of this as she and Fitz made their way out of the local courthouse. Fitz and Olivia had officially applied for their marriage license. She couldn't believe it, like really believe that coming Saturday she was wedding the love of her life. She was happy and felt like dancing and shouting her joy at the top of her lungs.

Plans for their very small wedding was coming along nicely thanks to Abby. She was what Olivia called, "a wedding planner on a nonexistent budget." So far Abby had secured a two hours spot in a vineyard that was normally rented out for weddings. She had somehow gotten it for half of the asking price and it probably had to do with the length of time they would be there. She also promised to bake them her succulent red velvet cake as their wedding cake since she was an exceptional baker. She also got Olivia connected with a pastor from a non-denominational church to marry them, in which she was ecstatic about. Since the church was non-denominational she and Fitz did not have to be members of it in order for a pastor to marry them. However, they were scheduled for a mandatory pre marriage counseling on Wednesday afternoon, this was something they had to do in order to get married through the church. As the days went by Olivia was very confident that Abby was truly going to give her a day that she would forever remember.

Fitz opened his car door for her, he had picked her up and they rode together; now that they were reconciled they had no problems sharing rides. "What's up with the wide grin?" He teased, as she slipped into the passenger side. He watched at how happy she looked as they made their way out of the courthouse, and it warmed his heart. She looked so full of life and radiant – and her pregnancy only had a part to play in it. He bet that she was mostly happy because of the very important papers in the brown envelope on her lap.

Olivia wiggled her shoulders playfully and continued smiling. Fitz shook his head bemused by her behavior, he gave her a smirk before closing her door and walking around the car to the driver's side. He was happy to see her this happy.

They drove in relevant silence to his mother's house holding hands. Jackson was spending the day with Grandma Liz.

Once through the door they were greeted by Jackson's loud exciting screams. Even Jackson was happier these days.

"Jackson Grant, why are you making so much noise in your grandmother's house?" Fitz asked, scooping the little boy into his arms before hanging him upside down.

"Fitz, oh my gosh, please put him down," Olivia pleaded from the side, she always hated when he would roughhouse with Jackson. She thought that he was too young for it but he loved it.

Jackson squealed and laughed even harder in his father's arm, nevermind his face growing red from the blood rushing to his head.

"What's all this raucous about?" Elizabeth asked playfully, coming into view. She was sitting in the living room watching TV with Jackson when she heard the front door opening, since Fitz was the only person with a key she didn't bother to get it – but instead told Jackson that his dad was at the door, the words weren't even fully registered in his brain when he took off to greet his father.

Elizabeth was surprised to see Olivia there with him and looking radiantly happy. The sadness in her eyes was no more and it piqued her curiosity.

"Liv," she greeted with a smile and knowing look, hugging her.

"Hey Lizzie, how was your day?"

"Busy, thanks to a very active 2 years old. We were outside for most of the day." She said, as she made her way to give her son a kiss on his cheek. Fortunately for her, she didn't have to tiptoe like Liv normal does because she was standing at a full 5'8".

"I'm sorry," Olivia began, knowing how playful and active her son can be. He got that from Fitz. Back when he was barely able to hold up his head his father always had him doing some sort of activity that his body was capable of doing, whether it was clapping his hands or flailing his arms. Although, Jackson liked to watch TV he would much rather outdoor time than be cooped up inside. He especially liked outdoor time by his Grandma Lizzie's house because she had a pool and sometimes she would take him inside.

"Nonsense, I won't have it any other way," Elizabeth waved her off. "So how are things, Fitzgerald?" She turned to her son and gave him an arched eyebrow. By now they were moving into the living room area, which was down the hall from the foyer as they talked. They entered into the wide room with beige couches with red and orange pillows. They were a few of Jackson's toys on the floor along with a giant coloring back with scratches all over it.

"My day was great, actually," Fitz answered while giving Olivia a smile.

"Oh I can see. You both look very… what's the word I'm looking for?" Elizabeth pondered for a few seconds. "Aha! You both look very happy, that's the word. You look very happy, which is a great look by the way." She gave them both a smirk while crossing her right leg over her left dramatically.

"We are," Olivia blurted, unable to contain herself.

"Oh… Please do share what has you both so happy?"

"Life," Fitz chuckled from his spot next to Olivia. Jackson had abandoned them, sitting on the floor watching his Disney show.

"I see, I see," Elizabeth mused. She knew something was up and it was written all over their faces.

At the same moment the Big Brothers Big Sisters' commercial came on asking the viewers to sign up for the program in their communities. Jackson hearing the words "big brother" instantly triggered the memory of his mother telling him that he was going to be one. He looked up with a wide grin on his face and said, "Me a big bwotha."

"What's that Jackson?" His grandmother asked to clarify.

He got up this time and ran over to her, pointing at the TV screen he repeated, "me a big bwotha. Mama say me a big bwotha."

Olivia's mouth fell open, surprised by what her son was saying and she started laughing uncontrollably. She had that conversation nearly 3 weeks ago with him.

Fitz looked on bemused he had no idea what was going on and Jackson kept repeating himself while Olivia laughed aloud. He wondered if the two had lost their minds, until Jackson's words registered with him. When the light switch went on he also fell into a belly hurting laughter.

Elizabeth was the only one clueless as to what was going on. So she listened keenly to what her grandson was trying to relay, and when she picked up on it she let out a loud squeal startling everyone.

"Jackson, is going to be a big brother?" She asked, eyes wide from shock.

"Yesshh," Jackson answered, gleefully nodding his head up and down.

Olivia and Fitz looked at each other and shared a smile, silently confirming with the other to share their good news. They turned to Elizabeth and simultaneously nodded yes.

Elizabeth lost it and began to cry in happiness. She was going to be a grandmother again.

"I mean how? I thought you two… You know what? Never mind! I don't care how it happened, I'm going to be a grandmother again," she gushed.

Olivia and Fitz smiled warmly at her showing off all of their teeth. This was their first time sharing their good news together.

* * *

It was Wednesday afternoon when Fitz arrived in front of his future home, he had begun moving back his stuff into the apartment but he hadn't been officially living there as yet. They'd both decided that it would be best that he did after the wedding. This evening they were heading to their premarital counseling class, for some unknown reason Fitz was dreading it. He was scared that they were going to ask him a bunch of spiritual questions that he had no answer to. He was even more afraid that he would somehow screw things up and Liv wouldn't have her wish of a minister of the faith be their Wedding Officiant.

He climbed out of the hulk and made his way up the five steps to the front door. Instead of using his key he rang the doorbell. On their way back home they were going to stop by her parents to pick up Jackson. One of the things he was looking forward to when moving back in was having his son living under the same roof as him. He missed him a lot and he didn't like that some days he didn't get to see him. The last time he saw him was on Monday when they were at his mother's house sharing the good news about Baby Grant# 2.

The door opened and it startled Fitz from his thoughts. He smiled taking in Olivia's simple but cute outfit. She wore a denim button up shirt with a pair of army green capri pants and brown wedges. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. He smiled at the sight of the added touch her engagement ring gave on her left ring finger. He hadn't seen the ring since the first time he placed it on her finger. Being that they were having a secret wedding Olivia suggested that she didn't wear it around as yet and Fitz obliged.

Leaning forward he planted a soft kiss on her lips, he was very grateful that he was privilege to kiss her lips again. He didn't try to do more than a kiss, respecting her boundaries, but never has a kiss felt so good to him.

"You look beautiful, Livvie," he complimented.

Olivia smiled dashingly, replying, "thank you. You look handsome yourself and you shaved," she gave him a sad face. She loved the full beard and now it was gone.

"I… I didn't want to give a bad vibe tonight so I shaved it off," he explained. He didn't know what the pastor would take of him with the beard so he decided his best bet was to shave it off. He spent a lot of time considering his outfit for the occasion, he eventually settled for black jeans and a blue, white and yellow plaid shirt with brown boat shoes.

Olivia pinched his cheek, finding his uncertainty adorable before tiptoeing and giving him another peck. Despite she was wearing a four-inch wedge she still had to tiptoe to reach his kissable lips.

"Thank you for doing this," she murmured against his mouth after they pulled away from the kiss

He smiled at her, as he whispered, "no problem."

After the door was closed they made their way hand in hand to the car.

* * *

All the niceties were passed out and Pastor Roy was ready to begin the important part of the counseling session. Pastor Roy had been a pastor for 10 years and during the course of that time he had counseled many of couples. Some of them were ripe and ready for the next step while some of them he prayed that they wouldn't go ahead with that decision. He observed body languages and secret cues that the couples gave off to see where they truly were in their relationship, because sometimes they can come rehearsed for the questions – putting up a front that all was well and right when reality was, it wasn't.

As a pastor he did his best to not only offer people spiritual advices when it came to marriages, he also got down to the nitty-gritty things that would make or break a relationship if they weren't properly addressed beforehand.

From the minute Olivia and Fitz walked through the door he observed them; Fitz held the door for her to enter and then followed after. He took in the way he gestured for her to sit before him after they all shared a brief handshake. He took in all of the cues that the couple was giving. When he made his all time joke that he makes with all of the couples he counsels, "Aren't you two a great looking couple? But I will have to gave 90% of the credit to her," he mentally acknowledged the way Fitz agreed with his statement.

He also sensed their nervousness especially from Fitz, and he watched as Olivia took his hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze.

So far Pastor Roy liked what he was seeing, he talked to them a bit more to get them comfortable before he asked his first question. He instructed that either one person could answer a question or both.

"How did the two of you meet?" He asked as an open question.

Fitz turned to Olivia and smiled, before he answered the question for them. "We met at the gym. I work at a gym and one day she joined and the rest is history."

Pastor John smiled politely, sensing that they were more behind the abbreviated version of how they met, based off of the secret glances they were casting at each other. He didn't dwell on the unspoken but instead moved onto the next question.

"How long have you known each other?"

"A little over five years," Olivia answered.

"How long have you been dating? Are you formally engaged?" The third question was asked in a two part.

And that's when things got complicated in Fitz' mind. How could they put into words what they have been doing?

"Umm… We are formally engaged," he answered the second part, looking over to Olivia for help with the first part of the question and she looked just as lost as him.

Nevertheless, she came to his rescue. "We've technically been together for 5 years but recently we had a two and a half months break."

Pastor Roy acknowledged her statement with a nod before he asked, "Why did you have a break?"

It was Olivia's turn to cast a SOS glance at Fitz.

Fitz exhaled and bit the bullet. "We were on separate pages for awhile and it kind of caused us not to see eye to eye. So that eventually led to a lack of communication which caused us to take a break from each other and figure things out."

"Were you both faithful during this break?" Pastor Roy asked as a follow up question.

"Yes," Fitz told him assuredly.

"I was also," Olivia confirmed.

"Good," Pastor Roy smiled before continuing with the next question. "How and why did you decide that you should get married?"

Fitz almost let out a low whistle at this question because it was a doozey. Olivia looked at him expectantly because this was all his and not hers. She has been ready for a while now. She was actually anticipating this question and would love to hear his answer. She was happy that he redid the proposal, but she still had some feelings lurking in the background telling her that he only did it because she was pregnant.

"Take your time," Pastor Roy told Fitz, seeing him struggling to find the right words.

Fitz let out a nervous chuckle before blowing air out of his mouth. And then he began speaking, " Honestly, so much of things pushed me into this direction I'm heading in. First it took her pulling the plug on our relationship, then having to live by myself, our son being shuffled around back and front. It was just becoming ridiculous and overtime I realized that I love this woman and this is the woman I want to be with for the rest of my life. If in order for me to have this is to marry her, I decided I would. I'm going to."

Olivia internally smiled that all of the reasons he mentioned didn't include the pregnancy. Even though she still believed that it was the final catalyst that pushed him to ask.

A few more questions were asked and discussed before they moved onto the spiritual section.

"Is it your desire to have a Christian ceremony and why?"

"Yes, I grew up in church and I am a believer, so I do want to honor my faith by having a Christian ceremony," Olivia answered with a smile.

"What about you?" Pastor Roy asked Fitz.

"Either way works for me," Fitz answered truthfully.

Pastor Roy chuckled and gave him a small smile before he moved along.

"Describe the spiritual dimension of your relationship up to this time? How do you want your spiritual relationship to improve?"

"What you mean by that?" Fitz inquired.

"Let me break it down a little. Do you pray together? Read your bible together or anything like that?" Pastor Roy clarified.

Fitz and Olivia stared wide eyes at each other before they both said, "no."

"Ok. So how do you want your spiritual relationship to improve?" The pastor further questioned.

"Well… it would be nice if we could read the bible together and start going to church as a family." Olivia answered, that was one of the things she actually hope would change after they got married.

"And you, Fitz?"

"Same," Fitz answered, noncommittally.

"Ok. Moving onto the last question on this questionnaire. Describe both the strengths and the weaknesses of your mate. What is it about your mate that attracted you? What potential problems do you anticipate in your marriage?"

"You go first," Fitz said, smiling.

"Why?" Olivia whined, returning his smile.

"Ladies first, remember?" He shot her a cocky smile and she rolled her eyes at him.

Pastor Roy continued his observation with a sly smile.

Olivia exhaled before she began. "Ok here I go, ladies first," she laughed. "Strengths… He's super caring and loving. Very protective of his family and hardworking, he's also very thoughtful." She turned and gave him a loving smile.

"What about weaknesses?"

Olivia screwed up her face as she pondered upon the question. "He can be very stubborn which can be good sometimes," she paused to shoot him another playful look. "He also can be very doubtful of his abilities and it sabotages him from making the progress he wants to make." She stopped to think of another one of his weakness. "And finally, I will say that this goes both ways. Communication, a lack thereof."

Pastor Roy noted that she said all of his weaknesses without tearing down his character. Many couples would come in and point their fingers at their future spouses, neither wanting to take the blame for any of the problems in their relationship. So when a question like this comes around they laid the heap of the troubles at each other's feet.

With out being cued to answer the final two parts of the question, Olivia continued, " I was attracted first and foremost by his good looks," she joked, laughing loudly. Only she could crack a joke that no one found funny. "I'm sorry," she straightened herself and smiled when Fitz gave her his -_not again with the lame jokes but I'll still laugh at them_\- face. "Seriously, though, besides from his physicality I admired his persistence. This guy pursued me for months before I even allowed him to take me on a date. And when we started dating he always kept me entertained by being very attentive towards me. I can go on all day about all of his qualities that attracted me to him, but I'm sure you don't have time to hear it all and you would much rather not hear it." She joked this time and was privileged to have laughter reciprocated.

"And finally, no one wants to think about the problems that will arise in marriages. We both already have so many of them going in, but reality is, getting married doesn't do away with them. "

Pastor Roy nodded his head encouragingly for her to continue, happy that her thought process was going in the right direction.

"I already anticipate that they will have some financial problems because that's the truth of the matter. Secondly, communication but we're working on it. Rome wasn't built in a day, and thirdly, life vision. We came from different backgrounds and upbringing so that can also potentially cause us some problems." Olivia finished, feeling a heavyweight being lifted off of her chest. She was grateful for this opportunity where her and Fitz could truly discuss their future and present without arguing. The past didn't matter since it was already gone.

Fitz was asked the same questions and he gave very similar answers to Olivia. When the questionnaire had been completed they went into a more in-depth conversation with Pastor Roy and before they knew it, three hours had went by. They thanked him for his time and said that they will see him on Saturday.

Olivia and Fitz went out of there feeling a bit more ready for the next step in their relationship.

"How did you think it went?" He asked as he moved through traffic.

"I think it went really well. What about you?"

"Surprisingly, good. The pastor guy is not bad at all. Kind of reminds me of your dad," Fitz shot her a smile.

"I was thinking the same thing. He kind of sounded like him too. Weird…" Olivia shivered.

"Ha-ha," Fitz laughed.

"No seriously, if it wasn't for his stockier body and lighter complexion I would've thought we were speaking to him.

Fitz smirked at her statement. Pulling up to the stoplight he turned at her and simply said, "I asked your dad for your hand in marriage." He smiled at the expression on her face. She was shocked; her mouth agape and her eyes wide.

"And before you say anything, no, I didn't tell him we were getting married. I just asked him for your hand."

"Uh…I… And…" Olivia was having a hard time formulating words. Inhaling deeply, she asked, "and what did he say?" just as he pressed on the gas pedal when the light changed.

"He said, and I quote, 'I thought you would never ask.'"

Tears sprang to her eyes as she cried out in relief and happiness. It was as if God was telling her all would be well. All the signs kept lining up perfectly. She was ecstatic that he would ask her father for her hand. That meant a lot to her, more than he could ever know.

Reaching across the console, she searched for his free hand to hold. Intertwining their fingers, she squeezed their palms together. "I love you so much more than words could ever express; I'll spend the rest of my life searching for ways to please you."

* * *

It was finally the day of their wedding. Olivia awoke nausea free, even little Baby Grant was cooperating. The weather forecast predicted that it would be sunny with a high of 80 degrees and so far they were right on the nose.

Abby was frantically helping Olivia get ready while Olivia tried to get Jackson ready in his outfit. Their wedding ceremony was at Martha's Vineyard, which was a mere thirty minutes drive on the interstate. They were slotted for 10 AM and they were already pushing the time. It was close to 9 AM and Olivia had yet to put on her dress. Her makeup and hair was already done thanks to Abby who wand curled it an hour ago. The previous night she had pressed out her curly kinky locks so it would be straight today, but Abby thought it looked too plain so she volumize it with some wand curls.

"Sit still, baby," Olivia coaxed Jackson who was trying to do everything but sit still. She was down to his shoes and needed to put in on his feet before she was able to get dressed. Jackson was wearing simple khaki pants with a white button down shirt, yellow and blue suspenders and a navy blue bowtie. He looked adorable with his little brown oxford style shoes that she got him from Target. His hair was brushed and moisturized, taming his brown curls.

"Otay mama," he conceded and sat still. Olivia quickly placed his shoes on his feet before he changed his mind. When she was finished she gave him a kiss on his plump cheek as a reward. "Good boy."

"Alright, mama, go put on your dress and let's get this show on the road," Abby urged. She was already dressed in a yellow sundress with raspberry colored sandals. Abby had themed the day in Olivia's favorite colors and requested Fitz to wear some variation of it. Abby was barely able to contain her excitement. On a budget of a $1,000 she hoped she gave her best friend the wedding ceremony she could remember.

"Okay, okay, I'm going." Olivia said, running towards the walk in closet for some privacy. What she was wearing underneath her dress was for her husband's eyes only. She smiled at the reference, internally squealing that in a matter of a few hours he would be hers and vice versa.

She slipped on the simple white off the shoulder, A-line eyelet dress. It hugged her top half tightly and came out in a flounce after it hit her waist. She and Abby found the dress in TJ Maxx of all places. They had searched high and low for a simple white dress that was nice and affordable but couldn't find any until they happened to stumble upon it in TJ Maxx. Olivia loved the simple dress and she loved that unlike "traditional wedding dresses" hers could be worn again and again. When she was in the simple number she slipped on the yellow espadrilles wedges that she also scored from TJ Maxx. It was a win that afternoon.

"Come on out, Liv!" Abby called, from her spot on the queen size bed next to her bored godson. She was trying to keep his attention but he wasn't having it. He understood that when he's dressed up that it was time to go out and today wasn't an exception to the rule.

"Out out out, Antee Abbeee."

"In due time, baby,"

He pouted and said, "otay," Abby couldn't help but chuckled at his cuteness.

Their conversation was interrupted when Olivia reentered the room.

"Mama niceeee!" Jackson squealed and Olivia smiled teary eyed.

"Well one Grant boy has spoken," Abby joked, getting up to greet her. She stopped in front of her best friend and regarded her with careful intent. She ensured that everything was in place where it needed to be, including the raspberry flower in the right side of her hair.

"You look great. Liv. I'm so happy to see this day come true for you."

Olivia smiled, already feeling choked up with emotions; this was really happening and thanks to her best friend it was already memorable.

"Thank you, Abby."

* * *

Fitz was alerted that Olivia and others had arrived ten minutes ago. He was already standing underneath the vine-covered arch with Harrison and Pastor Roy. Being that Harrison and him had been friends from since childhood he wanted him to be there as a witness also. Fitz was in the middle of talking to Harrison when he heard Jackson calling for him.

"Dada!" He shouted, running up the walkway to his father.

Fitz laughed as a frantic Abby came running behind.

"Oh good, he's with you! I resign for the day." She said, when she was in front of them. "Oh, hey hot shots!" She greeted Harrison. "Oops," she covered her mouth as she realized that the pastor was also there. "Hey, Pastor," she greeted with a smile and a small curtsy because she felt that was what she was supposed to be.

"Nice to meet you," he greeted, proffering a hand to her and she accepted it.

"Alright folks, let's do this. We have approximately an hour and forty minutes remaining. Showtime!" Abby said, walking over to a small table that held a small CD player that she had asked Fitz to bring, at the time he said he had none, but knew of someone he could borrow it from. Luckily, said man was standing next to him as his best man/witness.

She began playing an upbeat instrumental piece; it was definitely not the traditional wedding march. Nothing about this day was traditional to say the least. Besides yellow being Olivia's favorite color they also liked that it symbolizes joy, happiness, intellect and energy. And they were all feeling quite cheery.

Jackson was standing next to his father and Harrison underneath the vine covered arch on one side; the pastor was in the middle of said arch, while Abby stood on the other side. Everyone turned their attentions ahead when Olivia started walking up the makeshift aisle.

Fitz' breath was stolen from his chest from the vision of her she was absolutely breathtaking. He watched at how perfect the sun was reflecting off of her brown skin, how beautiful the white dressed looked on her and how perfect her face looked with the ringlets of curls framing her beautiful face. He was spellbound and enchanted by this beautiful woman.

Olivia was smiling through her tears as she made her way towards them. She was happy, truly happy in this moment. When she prayed and asked God to change his heart she never expected that he would in this way, and she wouldn't want it any other way. The moment she had been waiting for was coming into fruition and her soul was glad.

She took in the beauty of the vineyard, her best friend had gone all the way out to give them a picturesque setting that would heighten their experience. It was simple and lovely, just the way she liked it.

And then her eyes took in her fiancé soon to be husband. He stood tall and regal in navy blue slacks, a pale yellow shirt with a multicolored bowtie that blended perfectly with the two primary colors. His shirtsleeves were rolled up to show off his muscular, well built arms. Even his hair was perfectly coiffed for the occasion, displaying his chiseled face and grey blue eyes. He was hers imperfectly perfect hers…

She stood facing him at the makeshift altar, their hands joined together until Jackson decided that he wanted in on the ceremony, so each of their hands held one of his. And the pastor began the ceremony speaking of love and commitments until death do them apart.

They repeated the vows from their hearts, while staring into the depth of each other's soul.

"I do," she first said, and then he followed, "I do," meaning it from his heart.

Then a little voice below them said, "I doo-doo." And they all laughed.

The rings were exchanged; they weren't extravagant and showy, but simple and meaningful weddings bands that symbolize their commitment and love for each other.

"You may now kiss the bride," the pastor announced.

Fitz wasted no time in tilting her over in his arms and kissing her on the lips. At the same exact moment Abby flashed her camera to capture their first moment as husband and wife.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grant may the odds forever be in your favor. Amen!" Pastor Roy cheered.

And they all chorused, "Amen!"

They spent the rest of their allotted time taking candid stage photos compliments of Abby's artistic side. When they were finished, Olivia and Jackson piled into Fitz' car while Abby and Harrison rode in hers.

"We did it, baby," Olivia said, squeezing onto Fitz' hand.

"We really did, Mrs. Grant."

"Say that again," Olivia urged, smiling salaciously.

"Mrs. Grant," Fitz said in a low seductive voice.

"I can't wait to show you what Mrs. Grant can do."

"Oh, so Mrs. Grant does things differently than Ms. Pope?" He asked curious with eyebrows raised.

"Only time will tell, baby."

"Hungaweee!"

And just like that their moment was broken when Jackson shouted that he was hungry from the backseat.

* * *

"Why are we going at your mom?" Olivia inquired, when she realized that the route he was taking was to Elizabeth's and not to their place. It was funny that after the ceremony they were going to go home and chill nothing else was planned for the day and she didn't mind at all.

"Oh, I have to collect something from her," Fitz reasoned. "And we can also share the good news," he added.

"I thought we were going to sit everyone down and tell them at the same time," Olivia said, referring to the talk they had about breaking the news of their marriage and pregnancy at the same time with their parents.

"Ok, we can wait," Fitz conceded, pulling into the driveway.

"Let's just go say hi," Fitz urged, climbing out of his side before moving around the car hurriedly to open her door and retrieved Jackson from the backseat.

"Should I take off my rings?" Olivia asked sadly, she liked having them on her hand.

"No, no don't do that. Just keep your hand hidden," Fitz replied.

Jackson wasn't in the mood for chatting because he was sleepy so his head was rested contentedly on his father's shoulder.

"Ok." Olivia agreed to his plan to keep her left hand hidden so she hid it behind her dress. She found it strange that instead of using his house key like he normally did he rang the doorbell. But she shrugged it off when Elizabeth answered with a wide smile.

"Well look who it is?" She greeted, ushering them through the door.

The minute they walked through the front door a loud "CONGRATULATIONS!" was sounded. The loud screaming chased away any remnants of sleep that was crowding Jackson.

Olivia's mouth fell open as she looked around the room. She saw, Fitz' dad, his wife and Theresa, Abby and Harrison was miraculous there, Stephen, and, and… her dad. Her dad was there. Tears sprang to her eyes at the realization that her father was there to celebrate her union with Fitz. She frantically searched for her mother but unfortunately couldn't locate her. That realization saddened and disappointed her, stealing some of her happiness, but she purposefully decided in her heart to not let it get to her. So she pushed it away and went around the room to hug and greet people.

A sea of congratulations and well wishes enveloped them as they made there way from person to person. Jackson couldn't deal with it so he ended up going to sit with his Auntie Teesa as she fed him some fruit.

When Olivia had reached in front of her father, she cried, "daddy."

"I'm here princess, I want you to know that I love you and I'm proud of you. He squeezed her hands. I'm sorry your mom couldn't be here. I tried but she…" John trailed.

"You're here and for that I'm thankful." Olivia choked; she wasn't going to dwell on her mother not being there. She had more than she could've hoped for with his presence.

"Mr. Pope," Fitz joined in, giving the older man a hug and he reciprocated.

John whispered in his ears, "thanks for making an honest woman out of my daughter."

Fitz pulled back and said, "I think it's the other way around. She made an honest man out of me."

Olivia smiled and intertwined her fingers with her husband and he brought it to his lips.

* * *

It was 8 PM when they finally got home. Their impromptu lunch/dinner celebration went on for longer than they had expected. They were lots of laughter and dancing, and Jackson was the life of the party as he showed off his famous dance moves. The couple even had the opportunity to have a first dance, in which they chose K-Ci &amp; JoJo's song _All My Life._

Now they were back at their home and Jackson was officially laid to sleep ten minutes earlier. He was all played out. His parents got him ready for bed and stayed with him until he was fast asleep. When they had returned to the master room Olivia asked to be excused and she retreated to the bathroom.

In the meantime Fitz was getting reacquainted with the inner sanctuary that he and Olivia once shared. Nothing much has been changed but yet so much has. They were married and to him that changed a lot of things.

He climbed out of his clothes and threw it into the clothes hamper that he knew graced the wall by the bathroom door. When he was in just boxer briefs he sat at the edge of the bed waiting on Olivia to exit the bathroom. He needed a shower since they had a long day.

A shower was the last thing he was thinking about when Olivia opened the bathroom door. She was standing in front of him clad in a white sheer negligee with a barely there white thong. Fitz instantly became hard at the sight of her brown erect nipples straining against the fabric of the lingerie.

Olivia smirked at the evidence of his arousal in his boxer brief. The temperature in the room became heated and they were lost in a sea of wanton provocation.

She sauntered across the room, swaying her hips seductively so that her legs were on display. When she was standing in front of him she touched his chest with her left palm, admiring the rings on her finger. Tonight was going to be their first time making love as a husband and wife. This was a significant moment for her. She will be able to give this man her body without feeling guilt. He was hers and she was his, to have and to hold.

Olivia gently climbed onto his lap, effectively straddling his thighs. His stiff erection already gracing her most intimate of flesh and it caused her to hiss. She bit her lips as she regarded his stormy grey eyes. She knew that he was having a hard time reigning in his control.

Fitz held onto her waist tightly, keeping her exactly on the tip of his erection. They stayed unmoving for a few seconds before Olivia crashed down her lips onto his. Their lips met and they moved them together unhurriedly, savoring the taste of each other. Fitz' eager tongue was ultimately prying to seek entrance into her mouth, she obliged and took him in. The kiss continued to intensify as she began to grind her core on his shaft.

Fitz' hands were palming her ass, squeezing them tightly as they continued to kiss the air out of each other's lungs. He could already feel the wetness of her arousal seeping through his boxer briefs and it only served to make him painfully hard. He needed to be inside of her now more than ever.

Switching them over, Olivia was now laying on her back while Fitz was lying between her legs. His hands wandered the planes of her body, from her thighs to her breasts and everywhere in between.

He pulled apart their lips and took in her bee stung lips and panting chest. She looked sexy and wild with desire in her eyes, with her hair splayed across the white bed sheets.

"Make love to me," Olivia pleaded quietly.

Fitz nodded his head in affirmation. He lowered his body to her feet and began kissing his way up her legs. He teased and sucked at the skin behind her knees before he continued his journey up her inner thighs, where he nipped at the skin there. The lotion that she was wearing gave off a sweet fruity smell that made him want to devour her.

The closer he got to her center the more Olivia's anticipation built. She wanted to cry out in frustration, as the ache between her thighs was a pulsing heartbeat. She covered her mouth from screaming out loudly when Fitz' nose was nudged into her center; she felt the tip of it against her engorged clit. She was dripping wet and her essence coated it.

"So wet baby," Fitz inhaled her scent, reveling in the fact that he was the only one who could get her this way.

"Please…" Olivia begged, holding onto the sheets in one hand while she covered her mouth with the other hand.

Fitz wordlessly acknowledged her plea by grabbing a hold of the thin string of the panty, and pulled it down her legs. When she was free from the flimsy material he resettled between her thighs where he was face to face with her core. He took his left index and middle fingers to spread her lips wide apart to show off her hidden pearl. He pecked at her pink bundle of nerves and almost came when she cried out in a sexy plea.

"You're so beautiful," he said in a gruff voice, before lapping up her juices with his tongue. He started licking from the bottom all the way to the top. He did this over and over before he slipped her clit into his mouth where he began sucking on it relentlessly. His right hand held down her squirming body as she tried to get away from him.

Olivia was a quivering mess biting her lips to contain her cries and moans. His skillful tongue was maddening her and she didn't think she could take it.

"Fitz…oh my god…Baby….ah…shit…oh oh…" strings of other gibberish escaped her lips as she neared the peak of her orgasm. The minute his tongue sought entry into her tight chambers Olivia lost it. Her body shot off the bed as a powerful orgasm racked her. Her core spasm around his wiggling tongue as her juices squirted out of her.

Fitz didn't relent his eating even when she came down from her high. He continued to assault her with his tongue bringing her to another earth shattering orgasm before he sympathized.

His mouth dripping with her essence was hovered over hers as he began to kiss her passionately. He needed to feel himself buried deeply inside of her heat, and he didn't have time to take it slow. He was relieved that Olivia had seemed to feel the same way as her feet roughly pushed down his boxer briefs, freeing his erection.

Fitz helped her take off the baby doll style negligee so that they were both skin on skin. When her breasts were free, he took one excited nipple into his mouth where he sucked and nipped at it. To Olivia's dismay they were extremely sensitive and it caused her arousal to heighten. Unable to play along with his games, she grabbed a hold of his lengthy shaft and lined it up at the entrance of her core.

In one smooth stroke Fitz sunk into her, filling her to the hilt. Their bodies stilled as they took in the moment and allowed their bodies to readjust to each other.

"And the two shall become one," Fitz whispered hoarsely into her ears, reflecting on the words the pastor recited earlier that day.

The intimate moment and words brought tears to Olivia's eyes. He was exactly right, they were united together and has become one.

Fitz moved languidly allowing her to feel the ridges and veins of his manhood, he searched blindly for her hands and when he found them he intertwined their fingers together.

This position caused Olivia to feel loved, cherished and protected. His huge masculine body enveloped her petite form. She lay beneath him, her breathing labored as she moved to the rhythm that he set. They were making love for the first time as husband and wife. It was unhurried and filled with raw emotions.

When their bodies could feel their impending orgasms, Fitz picked up his pace and set them to a new tempo. He also reached between them and began playing with her clit to stimulate her to climax with him.

When she screamed that's she was coming Fitz couldn't help but follow after her as he began to ejaculate his seed deep inside of her. Her essence overflowed like a river on high tide as her orgasm coursed through her body. They clung to each other in the aftermath, Fitz' weight bearing down heavily as they fought to regulate their breathing. After a few minutes he eased out of her and she whimpered at the lost of contact, but sighed when he immediately enveloped her into his arms. They lay content in each other's arms.

"Today was perfect," He said, planting a soft kiss on her temple region.

"It was, wasn't it?"

Fitz grunted his agreement and kissed her again. He hugged her tightly as their bodies quickly surrendered to sleep.

* * *

A couple of days had past, Fitz and Olivia were adjusting to married life together. Even though she was happy she felt a nagging feeling persist each day, and that was because her mother wouldn't answer any of her calls. So one afternoon Olivia decided that she would go speak to her. She called her father to ensure that she would be at home before making her way out to visit them.

"Are you sure you want to go by yourself, baby?" Fitz asked; he knew that she was hurt that her mother hadn't showed up at their surprise celebration even though she tried her best to hide it. He and Jackson were currently in the kitchen making snacks to watch the Wonder Pets marathon.

"It's fine baby, I can handle it. I'll be back probably around dinner," she told him; walking up to give both of them a see you later smooch.

"Ok baby, let us walk you to the door."

"That'll be nice, thank you." She smiled as her boys escorted her towards the front door.

When they got to the front door, Olivia accepted their kisses before walking to her car. Before entering the car she stopped and waved at them. She smiled as they both waved back at her from the doorway. By now Jackson was in his father's arms telling her bye bye.

"Bye bye, Mama!" Jackson screamed; he wasn't bothered to see her leave because he had his dad.

"See you later, baby!" She blew them a kiss, which Fitz caught and placed on his lips. He gave her a panty-dropping smirk and she swooned. He knew she found him irresistible without his shirt on so he milked the opportunity whenever he could.

Eventually, she found the strength to climb into her car and head towards her parents.

* * *

"Mom, can I talk to you?" Olivia asked, looking at the woman who had given birth to her. She had arrived at the house five minutes earlier and they were all seated in the living room. She could tell that her mother was pissed because she hardly paid her any attention since she arrived through the door.

"I don't see what you could possibly say to me, after all it's not like you consider me in any of your decisions."

"Jackie, can you please stop and listen to what your daughter has to say?" John spoke up from his recliner seat.

"It's ok, dad," Olivia gave him a faint smile.

John nodded his head before leaving the room to give them some privacy.

The Pope women sat on opposite ends of the same sofa in silence, neither one wanting to be the first to speak.

Olivia made up her mind to speak since she was the one who asked her to have a conversation. And she began, "I know you already know that Fitz and I got married last Saturday, but I just wanted to tell you in person. I want you to know that I hold no feelings because you didn't come to the surprise party we had to celebrate it. I just wanted you to hear it from me and that's why I'm here." Olivia finished; her eyes were cast down on her clasp hands resting in her lap.

Jackie looked at her daughter in the same way she did when she was a young girl and had disappointed her by disobeying her rules. "The real reason you're here is because you want my blessings and approval. But, I'm not your father; I won't suck up to you or Fitz. I'm not sorry I didn't come to your surprise wedding reception or dinner, or whatever it was."

Olivia felt like someone had took a knife and stabbed it in her heart, but it was only the piercing words coming out of her mother's mouth. She was relieved that Fitz wasn't here to witness this. They knew that her mother never took a liking to him so they didn't need to add more wood to the fire.

Olivia looked at her mother with barely contained emotions. She felt a plethora of feelings, ranging from anger to sadness, deep – heartbreaking sadness.

"Mom, I understand how you might be feeling, but for once can you put aside all that feelings and accept the choice I've made for my life? Is that so hard for you to do?" Her voice wavered as she asked.

"Olivia, I've watched you make one poor decision after the next, and that all started with Fitz."

Olivia gasped, standing to her feet by the harsh words. How could she think of Fitz as a poor decision or mistake?

"Excuse me?" She asked dubiously, needing clarification as to what her entire statement meant.

It was Jackie's turn to stand; Olivia going behind their back was the nail in the coffin for her when it came to holding back her tongue.

"You knew that Fitz was the beginning of your downfall. You knew that your father and I wouldn't have approved of him for you, so you hid him for months – almost a year you hid y'all relationship. Then when he finally made it around I knew that you were doing things that you know you shouldn't have been doing with him before marriage. I talked to you about it. Remember what you said?" She paused, waiting expectantly for Olivia to answer but she never did.

Jackie continued, "You said that you're in love with him and you can't help yourself. I pleaded with you to slow things down and figure out what's your next step, but you did the opposite. Before I knew it you were moving in with him and then you got pregnant. You never considered me in all of those things so I don't know now what you're trying to do by showing up here."

"Are you hearing yourself mom? All you keep talking about is I, I, I, I. You don't know my struggles; you don't know how hard it was to walk away from Fitz. You just judge me and act selfish!" Olivia spat the last part; she had had it up to here with her mother.

"Watch how you speak to me! I'm your mother, child!" Jackie raised her voice, upset that Olivia had the audacity to yell at her.

"I'm sorry," Olivia tempered her voice, bringing her temper under control before she continued speaking, "but that's the problem, mom, you expect me to be a child when I'm a grown woman. I'm 28 years old, mom. When are you going to treat me like an adult and not a child?"

"I'm well aware that you're an adult, you don't have to remind me of that. You're capable of making and choosing your decisions. I get that. However, a responsible adult takes other people's feelings into consideration when making decision. Have you ever thought of how I would feel to never have a special bonding moment with my daughter when we go looking for wedding dresses, or pass on valuable information for when you're carrying your first child? You took all of that away from me. As a matter of fact, Fitz took that, because if you were with a Christian guy and were living according to the bible you would have done things in proper order. You wouldn't have had to sneak behind our backs to date him and then get yourself pregnant, which you also kept as a secret until it was almost physically impossible to keep. And now, you married him behind our backs. Nothing good can come from the darkness, sweetheart," she told her dryly.

By now Olivia was crying, she just wanted her mother for once in her life to accept her flaws and all. She wasn't the same little girl who could recite a 100 memory verses from the bible and knew all of the songs at Sunday school. That little girl was still in her but life has tossed her so many obstacles that she had to evolve. Olivia knew her mistakes and God knew them and still loved her. It was heart rending to hear her mother point at the speck in her eyes while forgetting about the plank in hers.

With tears flowing down her cheeks, Olivia said, "What kind of Christian are you? You have no love in your heart for your own daughter. How can you even go and witness to other people when you can't even love your own daughter unconditionally?" Olivia was sobbing so hard that John came out of his study to see about them. He stood to the side and allowed them to have their moment uninterrupted.

"I do love you and that's why I am speaking the truth to you. Your father won't say it because that's just not in his nature, but I will say it. I've always had to be the tougher parent anyways," she said, casting John a look. "If you had come to me beforehand and said you were getting married to Fitz I would've told you not to. Not only isn't he not a believer but he's not even financially secure to look after his family. See where I'm getting at? I raised you to aim higher than him and you just settled –"

"Jackie, that's enough!" John piped in.

Olivia's chest heaved as she continued to cry. With each word that her mother spoke against her she felt herself despising her more and more.

"John, this is a conversation between my daughter and I. Since you two have several of them in private I expect the same courtesy to be given to me."

Olivia wordlessly began picking up her tote bag from off the floor next to the couch while furiously wiping at her tears.

"I think I'm going to go now," she managed to say through the tears. She had enough of her mother's judgment to last a lifetime. She didn't need anything or anyone stressing her out while she was with child.

"Olivia, let me drive you or you can have Fitz come get you. I don't think it's safe for you to drive right now." Her father said in a concerned tone.

"I don't want Fitz at my house." Jackie said out of anger, she didn't fully mean it but she somewhat did.

And from that one sentence something inside of Olivia went BOOM. The last restraint and respect for her mother was exploded into a million bits. Olivia spun around so fast that she almost knocked the wind out of her chest.

Tears were replaced by intense anger as she addressed her mother through clenched teeth. "Today you had a lot to say and I'm glad I came here to listen. I'm glad I got to see who you really are." She took a pause to inhale a long breath before she continued. "And since my husband is not welcome here at this house, neither him nor I will be back, nor will our kids. I'm done with you, you've treated me poorly and I refuse to let that treatment continue and be extended to my family." Olivia continued to speak even at the attempts of her father trying to interject.

"Dad, if you want to see your grandchildren you can come see them at anytime but they will not be back here." Olivia was so upset that she didn't found the need to sensor her words when it came to grandchild versus grandchildren. She didn't care if they picked up on the plural form.

"Olivia, please don't make any rash decisions. Let's sit down and talk about this as a family," John pleaded.

"No, no," she said, shaking her head. "I'm done talking. I'm finish looking for approval from a woman who has only seen my flaws. I'm done. I'm a grown woman with a family and it's time I cut the cord and move on. It's time I live for them and myself. So dad, like I said, my door is always opened for you."

Jackie kept quiet throughout Olivia's entire speech, part of her wanted to apologize and have a civil conversation with her daughter while another part of her was so consumed with anger and resentment for the situation that she didn't care to speak to her right this minute. But she did want to speak to her eventually.

Olivia looked at her mother's rigid body one more time before heading towards the door, ignoring the earnest pleas of her father for her to stay and talk. She was done talking.

She sighed tiredly as she climbed into her car; she looked at her childhood home for one last time before cautiously backing out of the driveway and heading home to her boys.

* * *

Fitz was lying on the couch bare-chested with Jackson on his chest both sound asleep with the TV showing Wonder Pets in the background. She smiled at the sight of them sleeping and she knew that despite of what her mother said she knew that she made the best decision, the right decision.

Olivia slipped off her pink Toms and stealthily moved across the room to them. She gently pried Fitz' arm from underneath him as she placed herself to lie in it.

"You're back so soon?" Fitz mumbled, shifting his body to make space for her.

"Yea," Olivia whispered, snuggling herself into his chest and hugging both him and Jackson with her free arm. She didn't want to dwell on what happened this afternoon. She simply wanted to be close to _her_ family and allowed their love to comfort her. As a pending family of four they laid together.

* * *

**A/N: This is by far the longest chapter I've ever written (probably won't be a norm haha). Woohoo. Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know some of your highlights you found in it. We had a wedding, a surprise reception, marriage counseling and a fight.**

**I honestly got excited while writing their wedding day. Haha. There will be a time jump after this and the chapters going forward will mostly be centered around Olitz as they try navigating life.**

**Did Olivia went overboard when she told her mother that she would never return to her house or she was well in her means to say that? Let me know your thoughts on that.**

**Until next time,**

**XOXO**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hope you enjoy this update!**

* * *

***One Month Later***

"Ahhhhh….Fitz baby…" the sound of Olivia moaning as she rode Fitz permeated their bedroom. It was 6:30 on a Monday morning Olivia had woken up feeling extremely horny – thanks to the pregnancy hormone. Seeing that her hunk of a husband was lying beside her she didn't think twice to wake him up to sate her hunger. At first it was shy strokes that graced his manhood; and when the involuntary moans started escaping his lips her hand became bolder in its assault. A short while after, Fitz was awoken to her small hand wrapped around the length of his growing erection. She stared deep into his cerulean blue eyes as she began to move up and down his length. They wasted no time to get each other naked and when they were fully bare, Fitz eased her down onto his manhood. With the linen sheet covering their lower halves Olivia proceeded to rock the boat from on top.

Fitz' hands held on firmly onto her waist as he met her thrust for thrust. They moved in a synchronized rhythm so uniquely theirs. He looked up from beneath her and watched her erect nipples attached to her round mounds bounced up and down with her sensual movements. The first peak of sunlight came through the blinds and a line of sunlight fell across her breasts. She was ethereal and magnificently beautiful.

They moved like this for ten or so minutes before the final cord snapped and allowed each of them to reach a high that was independent from drugs or alcohol. Lying spent on top of his chest, his softening member still embedded inside of her heat allowed her to feel a sense of completion.

Fitz stroked her hair lovingly as he took in the quiet moment before their day started. A few minutes passed with them like this, eventually, Fitz broke their cocoon by softly saying, "Livvie, you have to get ready for work, baby." He glanced at the clock on her nightstand and saw that it was fast approaching 7 AM.

Olivia groaned and rolled off of him. "I don't feel like working today," she whined, sprawled on her back – unashamed of her nakedness.

"If I was a millionaire you wouldn't have to." Fitz chuckled.

"Now that would be nice," Olivia quipped. Taking a deep breath she finally found the courage to roll off her back and head towards the bathroom.

"Check on Jackson," she said over her shoulder before turning on the shower. Since having Fitz at home she didn't have to worry about doing it all and it felt so great. On a typical morning without him she used to have to wake up an hour early to get both her and Jackson ready. Now, on most mornings she only had to worry about getting herself ready. She didn't even have to worry about breakfast as her husband normally fulfilled those needs. Fitz was working a more fixed shift at the Gym. He'd requested the 3-11 shift and had told them that he was going back to school and needed the mornings to do that. Also, this way he was able to look after Jackson in the day while Olivia was at work. Now that she was no longer talking to her mother Jackson no longer stayed at the Popes. That thought made her somewhat sad, it had only been a month but she'd learned to cope with it.

**Flashback**:

**Fitz' POV**

_Fitz noticed a change in Olivia's attitude the afternoon after she came back from her parents. At first he didn't take it for anything, thinking that maybe her mother had said something that upset her. It wouldn't have been the first time and certainly not the last – he knew that when she was ready she would eventually tell him what other insult her mother hurled at her. However, his disquiet grew as the days went by and his Livvie wasn't her self. He asked her once over breakfast if everything was ok and she assured him that she was. He wasn't fully convinced but he let it go for the time being. _

_One night when they were tucked into bed she finally broke down in his arms. Fitz stroked her back as her stream of tears soaked his white T-shirt. He didn't know her reason for crying and at the moment he could tell that she wasn't up for explaining the why; but that didn't stop him from offering her comfort. He held her tightly as she cried into his chest, kissing her forehead, her cheeks and temple while whispering, "I love you and it's going to be alright," into her ears. Moments later when her emotions were in check, she finally spoke._

_Her voice sounded croaky as she said, "Mom and I aren't speaking with each other anymore."_

_Fitz puzzled by this was unable to hide the look of shock on his face. "Why? What? What happened?"_

_"She doesn't respect me, she doesn't respect our relationship and I don't want that kind of toxicity around my family so I cut all ties with her." Olivia stated through her sobs. It wasn't that she regretted her decision but the magnitude of what had transpired between her mother and herself left her shook. How could she go through life without ever speaking to her mother again? The thought made her sleepless at night. She couldn't believe that their semi-dysfunctional relationship had met such a calamitous point. _

_"Livvie…" Fitz squeezed her tighter in his arms trying to take away the hurt she was feeling. He hated that she had to go through so much pain, especially by the hands of the people who were supposed to love and protect her. _

_"I'm fine… I'm re… relieved…" She hiccupped. She was far from ok; she was devastated, a part of her felt like she had somewhat failed as a person, because her own flesh and blood couldn't accept her flaws and all. She had grown with the command to "honor your parents" and she wondered if she did at all with the choices she made._

_"It's going to be ok." Fitz whispered against her curly hair. "It's going to be ok."_

_"You're all I have," she told him, holding on tighter to his chest. "You, Jackson and this baby is all I have. You're my family now." Tears were still running profusely down her face, accompanied by her sniffling. _

_"Yes, we're a family," Fitz assured, rubbing lazy circles onto her back. _

_When her tears had stopped and her nose sniffling was the only thing that could be heard, Fitz pried her from his chest so that she could face him. Looking deep into her bloodshot eyes, he said, "Livvie, I got you. I promise I'll be here for you always. You're never going to have to do this alone. I'm never going to turn my back on you or our children. I love you so much and I'm sorry that our relationship makes your mother so uncomfortable. I'm sorry that I can't take away the pain you're feeling. If I could I promise you I would do it in a heartbeat, I would take away all of your pains and worries." He held onto her chin so that her gaze was unwavering and her eyes stayed on him. _

_ Olivia gave him a small smile; he didn't know how much his words were like a healing balm to her broken heart. She needed him and she was glad that he was in her corner. Everyone needs somebody to lean on and he was her somebody. _

_"Thank you, baby, thank you." She said softly. _

**End of Flashback**

For some strange reason after sharing her fallout with her mom Olivia felt a tad bit happier. This was her family now and if she didn't want to be a part of it then she couldn't force her. This was her new normal.

Olivia came out of the bedroom fully dressed in an emerald green sheath dress, paired with opaque leggings and black 2-inch heeled boots. She came upon the scene of her two boys at their small dinner table indulging in breakfast. Both were shirtless and had a case of messy bedhead.

"Good morning, Jackson pooh!" She greeted in a chipper tone.

"Moornin mama," Jackson returned, his eyes never leaving the colorful plastic bowl that held his strawberries.

"No kisses for mommy?" She said, coming to stand in front of his highchair.

"Yessh," he said aloud, finally looking up to give her kisses. He placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek before doing it on her mouth.

"Love you baby," she told him, ruffling his honey brown curls.

"Wuvv you too mama," Jackson returned before resuming his eating.

Fitz gestured towards the placemat that held a cup of what she assumed was tea and a plate of toast with peanut butter on it.

"Mmmm, you know the way to my heart," she said, smiling at him as she took the vacant chair opposite him.

"That I do, Mrs. Grant." Olivia blushed at her new last name. It was still somewhat foreign at school to be called Mrs. Grant or whenever she signed her name with her new signature, nevertheless, it felt great to be associated with him on such an intimate level publicly.

"What are you doing today besides working?" she asked, blowing on the piping hot tea.

"Stopping at the school to get my textbooks, mom asked me to check on a kitchen cabinet door that came unhinged, after that I'll probably take JT to the park to work on his bike riding. That's about all I have planned before work. You need me to do something?"

"No, I think I'm good. I do want to go to the mall sometime though, I need new working pants and the GAP has a sale."

"What happened to your current working pants?" Fitz inquired, sipping on his coffee.

Olivia gave him a look like, _don't you dare start on me about shopping._

"If you've forgotten, sweetheart, I'm with child and currently approaching ten weeks, my pants are slowly growing tight. They were already snugged to begin with. So mama needs new trousers, baby." She said the last part with a smirk.

"Ok, and that alone is what you're getting. I don't care if they're running a 90% off sales you're only walking out of there with working pants."

"Right," Olivia acquiesced with a head nod, even though she was secretly taunting him.

"I'm serious, Livvie."

"And I said right." She chuckled, unable to help herself.

* * *

Saturday came and the trio found themselves at the local mall. Liv was rummaging through the clearance rack at GAP while Fitz and Jackson stood off to the side watching her. They both wore the same impatient look.

"Pway. I want pway," Jackson said loudly. The sale associate that was refolding some T-shirts a few yards from them smiled at him.

"He's so cute," she gushed.

Fitz smiled politely and said, "thanks."

Olivia came over with four pairs of trousers in tow, one black, grey, a blue one and an olive green looking color.

"Are you going to try them on?" Fitz asked.

"Nope, I don't need to. Two are one size up and the other two are two sizes up."

"Oh okay. Ready to checkout?"

She gave him an impish look and he shook his head no.

"Come one, Fitz!" She pouted. "I want to see what they have in the little boys section."

Fitz groaned and followed her into the toddler section. Twenty minutes later they were finally up at the cash register with more than what they had originally planned to purchase. Asides from the work pants she bought, she got a pair of jeans, two T-shirts and a long sleeve shirt for Jackson and a new denim shirt for Fitz. Luckily, all of the items were on sale and Olivia had already searched the Internet earlier for additional coupons. When their items were scanned, coupon was applied; Fitz swiped his debit card to take care of the charge. They thanked the cashier and went out of the store.

"Where to next?" Fitz asked, as they walked aimlessly. He held the shopping bag in one hand while holding Jackson's hand with the other.

"Pway," Jackson said. He knew that the mall have a play area for kids because he had visited it more than once.

"The prince has spoken let's go _pway_." Olivia said with a smile, holding onto Jackson's other hand.

"Pushover," Fitz muttered playful, which was reciprocated with an eye roll from Olivia.

The family weaved their way through the other patrons as they made their way to the play area. Once there, Olivia pulled out a to-go packet of Lysol wipes and wiped off the stationery rocking horse.

"Up JT," Olivia prompted the little boy to climb onto the horse.

"Otay," Jackson said as he climbed onto the wooden yellow and red horse.

"You have to hold on tight, buddy." Fitz assisted him by placing his little hands on the handles.

When they were confident he was secure they retired on the bench stationed a few inches away. Olivia took out her smartphone and snapped a picture of him in motion, rocking back and forth on the horse – before turning her camera around to take a picture of her and Fitz.

"Let's take a selfie," she said with a smile.

Fitz scrunched his face at her but obliged her request. With his face pressed against the side of hers they smiled at the camera. Olivia tapped the circular white button once to capture the picture.

"One more." The second picture was of her kissing Fitz on the cheek while he smiled at the camera. Finished with her impromptu photo-shoot, Olivia slipped her phone back into her handbag.

"I'm hungry," she whined. They had only been at the mall for approximately 2 hours, but all the walking left her famished.

"What do you want to eat?" Fitz asked.

"I don't know. What do you want to eat?"

"We can go to that new Chinese restaurant on Pike street."

Olivia upturned her nose at him.

"Ok… I guess that's a no. What do you want to eat then?"

"We can go to Chili's. I'm kinda craving their Texas cheese fries."

"Then Chili's it is." Fitz said, taking her hand in his and giving it a little squeeze. Together they sighed and continued watching Jackson playing merrily on his rocking horse. A few other children played around him but he was in his own world.

"Do you think we should send Jackson to play school?" Olivia asked, leaning her shoulder against Fitz'.

"Why do you think so?"

"He needs children his own age to interact with. I mean he's only around us or my parents – father," she quickly clarified. "And Liz."

"True but he'll be ok staying at home for now. We don't have money for that, we actually need to save more, baby. With the new baby on the way we are running out of space. We need a house for starters and a bigger car to hold all of us."

Olivia nodded her head in agreement. "My last car payment is due next month, we can always trade that in and get a mini van."

"A mini what?" Fitz asked, alarmed.

"A mini van," Olivia repeated, laughing heartily.

"Livvie, please don't do that to me. I can't drive around in a mini van."

"Why not, Grant? It has an engine and four wheels, of course you can."

"Livvie, promise me that you won't have us buy a mini van. We can get a Jeep or a small SUV. Anything but a mini van."

Olivia's laughter prevented her from immediately responding to him. Eventually, she did. "I promise you that I won't emasculate you by having you drive a mini van but… you have to promise me something."

"What's that?" Fitz asked, placing a tender kiss on her temple.

"You have to sell the Hulk."

"What?" Fitz gasped. How could she ask him to sell his baby? He had that car since he was 21.

"Hear me out." She placed her hand on his forearm. "If you sell your car we could use the money along with the savings to make a down payment on a house."

Fitz listened to her reasoning but his heart ached to think of parting with his car.

"Liv…" Fitz groaned.

"Think about it, Fitz. Your car is not even practical for a child much less two."

"I get that, Olivia." Fitz said defensively. It wasn't as simple for him to give up the first major thing he'd bought for himself. That car symbolized a coming to adulthood for him.

Olivia sensing his mood decided to change the topic. "How about we go eat now?"

"Yea," Fitz said dryly, standing to his feet. He picked up the shopping bag at his feet and walked to Jackson.

"Time to go JT."

"No! I pway!"

"Jackson, we have to leave now," Fitz said in a calm voice.

"NO! I pway!" He rebutted, his lips stretched out.

Olivia walked towards them and gestured for Jackson to get into her arms.

"Mama NO! I pway." He shook his head defiantly.

"Sweetheart, we are going to get food. Don't you want food? We'll get the chicken tenders you like." Olivia said, trying to get him to budge. He shook his head no, his honey brown curls moved with his action.

Fitz not having the patience to go back and forth with his toddler decided to pick him up with his free arm. Jackson immediately began screaming and crying as his father walked away with him. Olivia looked around embarrassed as the other families looked at them. She quickly scurried after them as they made their way out the mall.

"Fitz, give him to me." Olivia said when they were outside and Jackson was still crying his eyes out.

"Why? So you can baby him? He needs to listen when we speak."

"Fitz, calm down he just wanted to play longer. He wasn't doing anything wrong." Olivia defended her son; she didn't think it was a big deal that he said no. Eventually, she would have convinced him to stop playing.

"Today it's no, tomorrow it will be something more if we don't put our foot down."

"You're overreacting!" Olivia chided, almost out of breath. She was having a hard time keeping up with his long strides.

"Olivia don't start, I'm not overreacting."

"Yes you are," she hissed. She could only imagine how crazy they looked from the outside. Jackson crying in Fitz' arm while she and Fitz argued as they walked through the parking lot in search of their car. When they got to the car Jackson had stopped his crying and was now hiccupping. Fitz handed him over to Olivia as he opened the car trunk to deposit their shopping bag.

Olivia wiped at her son's tears streaked face and kissed his forehead lovingly. She hated seeing him cry, it tore her heart up. She nuzzled his neck with her nose, knowing that it would tickle him – she did this until he gave her a little laugh.

"That's my boy. Momma will buy you some chicken tenders, ok?"

He gave her a toothy smile and nodded his head yes. "sicken tenda." He repeated his version of chicken tender.

Olivia strapped him into his car seat and gave him a kiss on his cheek before closing the backdoor of the car. She made her way to the passenger side; Fitz was already in the driver seat. As soon as her seatbelt was on he backed out cautiously from the parking lot and headed onto the busy street. The atmosphere in the car was slightly tensed as they made their way to Chili's.

* * *

By 4 PM they were walking through the door of the apartment. Olivia was in desperate need of a nap that she was inclined on taking. She headed straight to the master bedroom, leaving Fitz and Jackson to themselves. Father and son had reconciled over chicken tenders so they were back to their old selves. However, on the other hand – Olivia and Fitz still had some tensions between them.

Olivia stripped from the jeans and flowy top she wore, and replaced it with a short baby doll dress that she wore strictly at home. She moved to the bathroom to empty her bladder, afterwards she clambered onto the fluffy queen size bed. Lying on the bed she decided to check her Facebook and update it with the pictures that she took of Jackson and the one with her and Fitz. Signing into her account she scrolled down her timeline to see what her high school and college friends and family had been up to. When she had her fill of scrolling, she posted her pictures and captured it, **"Family Day out 3"** Before Olivia exited her Facebook app she decided to check on her mother's page to see what she has been up to – which wasn't much since her mother only posted scripture verses and an occasional picture of her and her husband or of Jackson. Olivia typed her name into the search bar and clicked on it once it appeared. Her eyes widen at the sight of the private page. Her mother had un-friended her from Facebook. She never expected that she would go so far to permanently remove her from her life. Olivia sighed and tossed her phone across the bed before forcing her mind to shut off.

* * *

Fitz carried Jackson to bed after he'd fallen asleep on the couch while they were watching TV. He then returned to the living room and plopped his bottom on the couch. His mind went back to earlier today and the way he snapped at Olivia when suggested that he sold his car. He understood that she was coming from a place of love and was being financially proactive. This was probably the only way that they could actually acquire money to pay down on a house. However, it was easier said than done. He had to remind himself that it was all a sacrifice, a worthy sacrifice for his family. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh fighting the stress that tried to creep up his chest.

Instead of dwelling longer on his problems he opened one of his textbooks that was rested atop the coffee table and began reading from it. Fitz was equally excited as was nervous about going back to school. He was fortunate to get accepted into the University of Central Florida (UCF) and into their Athletic Trainer's program. It was a two years undergraduate program, luckily for him some of his previous classes were credited and he did not have to retake them.

Fitz was so consumed with his reading that he did not hear Olivia enter the room until he felt her weight on the sofa. Before he could acknowledge her presence she was molding her body to his. She rested her head on his chest and her right arm hooked around his waist. He smiled at the feel of her warm body against his and kissed the top of her head.

"I missed you," she mumbled into his chest.

"I'm right here, baby." He released one of his hands from holding the heavy book and wrapped it around her shoulder.

"I know. I just feel like you're upset with me."

"I'm not," Fitz assured. "Just a little grumpy but not upset."

"Are you sure? What about earlier?"

"I'm sorry, I kind of overreacted. But I promise you I'm fine."

"And if you weren't, you would tell me right?"

"Of course," he said, kissing the top of her head again.

* * *

**A/N: There you have it folks! Things are not necessarily a bed of roses with the Grants but they're trying. What do you think of the chapter? Olivia is trying to move on from the hurt caused by her mother and now Mama Pope haS un-friended her from FB, how childish? You think it's a good compromise or too much for Olivia to ask Fitz to sell his prized possession? Thoughts on the way Fitz handled Jackson when he didn't want to leave and Olivia disagreeing with him? Looking forward to reading your thoughts on this chapter.**

**Until next time,**

**XOXO.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: It's been 42 years… but I'm back. Hope you enjoy this new installment. Thank you for the reviews and for following this story. Truly appreciate it. ScandalOnica I'm finally delivering my promise. LOL**

* * *

"Is this everything or you have another bag hiding somewhere?" Fitz teased, putting the cooler into the trunk of his wife's car. It was a beautiful Saturday morning; the weather was perfect and cool – perfect for a family beach outing.

"Ha Ha! Funny, Fitzgerald," Olivia replied dryly, rolling her eyes. She knew that he was teasing her because of the abundance of things she had packed for them. Not caring for his teasing she thrust the multicolored tote bag filled with; sunscreen, band-aid, Neosporin ointment, lotion, wipes, diaper and the list goes on into his hands; and said, "You're going to thank me later when you need something. Watch and see."

"Right…." Fitz smirked, collecting the bag from her before closing the car trunk.

"Don't forget your son." Olivia pointed towards Jackson who was playing a few yards away with the neighbor's dog. The owner happened to be walking his dog at the same time they came downstairs, and while they were loading the vehicle Jackson ran off to pet the German shepherd.

"Jackson!" Fitz called once, and was surprised when his son came barreling towards him. _Guess he learned from last Saturday's mall incident_, Fitz thought, watching his honey brown curls swaying in the wind as his chubby legs moved around and around. He was adorably dressed in a pair of board shorts that matched his father's. It was yellow and red color-blocked. On top he wore a simple white T-shirt and on his feet he had on black water shoes.

"Yesssh… dada!" He came to a stop in front of his father huffing and puffing for air.

"Time for us to go to the beach," Fitz said, smiling when his son's eyes grew wide with excitement. It was as though he was hearing the news for the very first time and not five minutes ago.

"Beaccch! Yay!"

Fitz chuckled then and opened the backdoor to put him inside. Olivia was already seated upfront in the passenger seat while he buckled JT into his car seat. He then climbed into the driver seat and adjusted the seats to accommodate his long limbs. "So short," he teased.

"God only lets people grow until they are perfect. I did not take very long to attain perfection." She sassed.

"Oh… someone is feeling rather cocky today. " Fitz chuckled and she rolled her eyes. She didn't verbally reply to him, instead chose that moment to turn on the radio, which was playing Mark Ronson's ft. Bruno Mars' song _Uptown Funk_.

Fitz and Olivia gave each other knowing glances before turning their heads to the backseat; they were 100% sure that Jackson's legs and arms would be flailing in time to the music. He loved… the song and every time it played he made sure to stop whatever he was doing to dance to it. It didn't matter if they were at home or at the grocery store. And just as they'd predicted the little boy was moving all of his body parts that weren't restricted by the car seat.

"Go, JT! Go, JT!" Olivia cheered him on while Fitz sang along to the song and Jackson continued to dance.

_Girls hit your hallelujah (whuoo)_

_Girls hit your hallelujah (whuoo)_

_Girls hit your hallelujah (whuoo)  
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you  
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you  
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you  
Saturday night and we in the spot  
Don't believe me just watch (come on)  
Don't believe me just watch_

Fitz continued his singing and Olivia joined in with him as they pulled out of the parking lot of the apartment complex. They carried on like this for the entire 20 minutes ride to the beach.

* * *

They arrived at the beach and quickly scouted out a spot that wasn't too close to the other beach goers, before hauling their stuffs from the trunk. Mostly Fitz did all of the work. He complained that Liv shouldn't be lifting anything while pregnant and Jackson was simply too small to carry anything other than a beach ball. Several minutes later when their oversize beach blanket was laid out underneath the big colorful umbrella, yes… they had an umbrella. Olivia believed that when visiting the beach it should be an all day event so she always packed with comfort in mind. There was also a cooler off to the side filled with juices, water, fruits and cold cut sandwiches that she'd prepared earlier.

When they were fully situated Olivia reapplied sunscreen to Jackson's caramel skin before letting him run free with his father. He was simply too impatient to wait a minute longer to enter the cerulean blue water.

She sighed contentedly with a smile on her face as she watched her boys run towards the water, Jackson holding onto his father's hand as he led him to the ocean.

Looking away from her boys she took off her swimsuit cover up and bared her yellow bikini set that was becoming a little too tight in the upper region. She hadn't started showing as yet but her breasts were definitely fuller. Speaking of body changes Olivia remembered that she needed to tell her father he was going to be a grandfather again. With a sly smile splayed on her face she knew exactly how she was going to do so.

A few minutes later she was lying on the beach blanket underneath the umbrella, with contentment and happiness radiating off her skin she began reading the journey of one young woman's story from pain to happiness. The first page hadn't even been fully read when she dozed off.

Meanwhile, Fitz was out in the water waist deep with an overjoyed Jackson trying to swim. The water was uncharacteristically calm so Fitz had him lie on his forearms while he kicked his little feet and paddled his little hands frantically. His father made sure to keep his head above water, less he swallow some of the saltiness.

The sheer joy and happiness on his little boy's face was enough to make his heart skip several beats. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for him and with the new baby on the way; Fitz knew that he would do anything for them also.

Several minutes later when Jackson was growing cold, evidence of goosebumps on his skin and clashing teeth – Fitz took him out of the water much to his disapproval and began walking to where their fort was setup.

"We'll go back in later, Jackson," He told his grumpy son, who was wiggling in his arms.

"Otay," Jackson said solemnly before saying, "Down down. Pease…" He begged to be let down.

His father obliged and placed him on the light beige sand. Instead of walking alongside his father Jackson took off in the direction of the ocean, causing his father to run behind him until he securely grabbed his arm. He lifted the little boy in the air in one smooth motion and Jackson squealed with laughter finding his little performance funny.

"Jackson Thomas Grant! Must you not behave?" Fitz asked in a light tone, almost finding the situation humorous although it could've been potentially fatal had he went into the ocean by his self.

"Yessh! I's a goo boy…" Jackson pouted.

"Sometimes," his father retorted. Fitz continued walking with the wet boy in his arms, not chancing to put him on his feet again – less a reenacting of his earlier stunt occurs.

"Noooooo," Jackson shook his head in disagreement. His wet curls ridding itself of the excess water that hung to it.

"Yessh," Fitz imitated the way he says "_yes"_.

Jackson and his father went back and forth like this all the way to their destination. Their rowdiness actually woke Liv and she watched them as they came. It was comical to see this grown 6'2" man with a body of a Greek god argue with his miniature me that was perched on his arm like a football. There was no denying that she loved her boys. Her heart always grew warm when she sees them interacting with each other.

"What's with all of this raucous?" asked Liv.

"Your son said he behaves himself all of the time and I beg to differ." Fitz said, lowering the boy onto the blanket.

Jackson simply shook his head no as he made his way over to his mother with outstretched squirmy hands.

"Jackson Grant! Don't come touching me with your wet and sandy skin," Olivia playfully warned. He giggled and continued his journey to his retreating mother. She also giggled and stood to her feet baring her entire silhouette, as she tried to avoid him. She knew without any doubts Fitz had set him up to this.

Fitz whistles lowly as he took in his wife's figure. He of course had already seen the small physical changes her body was undergoing during their intimate moments but he couldn't help but appreciate "the girls" as he would call her breasts – looking succulent and full in her bikini top.

"Jackson, if I had a mother looking like yours' I wouldn't let her out of my _sight.._." He ended in a high pitched voice.

"You're such a cornball," Olivia laughed.

"And you're a MILF." Fitz winked at her and she blushed.

"Your dad is too much," she said to Jackson who had forgone his attempts to touch her and was now at the cooler looking for something to eat. She made her way over to him and grabbed an Honest Kids juice. She bore a hole in the designated part and handed it to him.

"What do you say?"

"Tank you..." He squealed before slurping up the juice through the straw.

"You're welcome, baby. Take your time."

As he drank the juice she dried him off with one of the multi-colored striped beach towels.

"Babe, you need anything?" She asked her husband who was unfolding the beach chair in an open area uncovered by the umbrella to sit in the sun.

"I'll take a bottle of water, thanks." Olivia grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler and carried it over to him.

"You're so sexy, ma," Fitz complimented her in that deep baritone voice of his. He couldn't help but admire the curviness of her hips as they swayed with each step that she took.

"My husband thinks so, too."

"He's a man with pretty good taste." He smirked, raising an eyebrow at her while he unscrewed the water bottle lid.

"I'll have to tell him you said that," Olivia gave him a wink before turning around and walking away, swaying her hips in an exaggerated fashion.

Fitz shook his head silently promising that he would make her pay for that later tonight.

**IiIiI**

Liv returned to the spot on her blanket, picked up her book and resumed reading when her cellphone began ringing. She picked it up and saw that it was her dad.

"Hey dad, what's up?" She greeted. Since the incident with her mother she hardly saw her dad. Nevertheless, they made sure to communicate frequently via phone.

"Hey, Livia. How are you?"

"I'm good. The boys and I are at the beach. How are you?"

"Everything is good. Would be better if I got to see you more often, and you and your mother are talking to each other." He answered truthfully.

"Dad…" Olivia pleaded for him to not go there. Her father tried each and every single time to bring about reconciliation between mother and daughter.

"I get it, but I'm praying for you two. The good Lord knows both of you are stubborn as mules." John joked and Olivia laughed lightly.

"Whatever, dad."

"Where's that grandson of mine?"

Olivia looked over to see her son lying in the sand while his father buried him.

"He's being buried alive as we speak." She said and it was reciprocated with a laugh.

"That's my boy. Send me a picture."

Olivia nodded her head and smiled, she loved how much her father adored his grandson.

There was a silent pause before Olivia asked, "How's mom doing?" She couldn't help the few times she inquired about her mother's well being. After all she still very much loved and cared for her. There wasn't a switch she could use to turn those emotions off.

She heard her father sighed on the other end. "Your mother is… I don't know what to say. Same old Jackie, I guess."

Olivia also sighed. "Dad?"

"Yes pumpkin."

"Can I ask you something? It's been bothering me for a while now..."

"Sure."

Olivia took a deep breath before she asked, "Are you happy? Are you happy with mom?" Since the incident she had been thinking about a lot of things and her parents' relationship was one of them.

"Why would you ask that?" Her father returned, instead of answering the question.

"I don't know. You two are polar opposites. How can you be so compassionate while she is so judgmental?"

"Livia, I love your mother and yes she does make me happy. She has her ways and moments. But, there are reasons why people behave a certain way they do. Does it make it right? Not all of the times. There are things in all of us that needs fixing or some stuff that outright needs taking out. We're all on a different journey and we are all accountable for ourselves." He paused for a few seconds before continuing, "don't worry about me and your mother we will be fine."

Olivia listened intently to what he said, and being honest with herself she couldn't find it in heart to be so empathetic towards her mother – especially after she'd unfriended her from Facebook. She never told anyone about that incident, not even Fitz. She believed that as a Christian and a minister's wife her mother should be doing a better job of setting a good example of being Christ-like; – non-judgmental, patient, loving, caring, etc.…

When he had finished talking Olivia simply said, "ok. If you say so... Oh dad, I want us to have dinner sometime in the new week. Do you have any free time?" She asked moving the conversation along, after remembering she had some good news to share.

"Yea. How does Tuesday sound? We can probably go to Taco Tuesday's at your favorite place."

Her heart warmed at the fact her father knew her well. "That sounds great. Tuesday it is."

"See you then pumpkin. Kiss my grandson for me and tell Fitz I said hello. I love you, sweetheart."

'"I will, and I love you too, dad."

Olivia smiled warmly and ended the phone call. She then got up with the smartphone in tow to take out the picture her father requested.

"Somebody call 911! My baby is being buried alive!" Olivia exclaimed in a cheery voice and Jackson laughed out loud. He was covered from neck down in sand. She internally shivered thinking of all the places sand will be lodged. It didn't matter though, because as long as he was having fun it would be worth it in the end.

She took several pictures of him with his toothy smile, laughing carefree in the sun – even a few candid shots of Fitz when he wasn't looking. Most people's phones were probably filled with pictures of themselves but not Olivia. Hers' was filled with pictures upon pictures of Jackson and Fitz. Sleeping ones, eating ones, laughing ones, silly ones, it didn't matter what they were doing she always tried to capture the moment. Resting her phone on the abandon beach chair, Olivia got down on her knees alongside her husband and enjoyed the moment.

* * *

The end of the beach day came fast. After spending close to six hours at the beach they headed home. On their way home they picked up Chinese takeout for dinner. When each one of them had taken a thorough shower from head to toe – rinsed off the sand and saltwater residue, they indulged in Chinese noodles and fried rice before settling on the couch to watch a movie.

Jackson was the first one to fall asleep; his body had finally given up the fight to stay awake. He had had a lot of fun playing in the sun, so much so that he'd skipped his daily nap. His caramel skin aglow from the tan he received from the day's outdoors activities, and was hugged softly in a Monster Inc. blue footed pajamas.

"Look at him," Olivia cooed, looking down at the lightly snoring little boy with his mouth slightly opened. He was rested on top of her while her body was rested partially on top of Fitz'.

"The only time he's adorable." Fitz jested.

"Hey! My baby is always adorable, even though he's growing out of his chunkiness."

"Which he got from you," Fitz pinched her cheek playfully.

"I should've never shown you my baby picture. You're never going to let me live that one down."

"How can I? You were _the_ baby Michelin."

Olivia pouted, "You're so mean."

He chuckled and muttered, "I'm sorry, baby..."

"No you're not."

"I am." He kissed her tenderly on the forehead and she almost melted.

Sighing contentedly, she asked, "What are you hoping for this time around?"

"Healthy," he answered.

She playfully rolled her eyes. "You know what I meant. Boy or girl?"

He chuckled softly before answering, "if it was up to me I would say a girl. A mini you, with your smile and eyes."

Olivia smiled warmly. "I could picture that. If it's a girl what would you name her?"

"Princess Jasmine. Well just Jasmine without the princess." It was no secret between the two of them that Aladdin was his favorite Disney movie.

"Why not Princess? She'll be your princess for sure." Olivia teased.

Fitz rolled his eyes and smiled because no doubt it would be true. "So… what do you think of the name?"

"I think it's beautiful. Jasmine Tabitha Grant. Tabitha means graceful, it's a biblical name," she explained.

"Mm…" Fitz murmured, mulling over the name. "We'll have two JTs," he mused.

"Two are always better than one."

"True... I like it. The name, that is… Jasmine Tabitha Grant. We can call her Jazz or Jazzy Blue for short."

Olivia tittered at the nicknames. "What if it's another boy?" She asked, not meaning to burst his bubble.

"Fitzgerald the fourth."

"Hell to the no!" She cringed when she realized she said that a little too loudly and almost startled Jackson's sleeping body awake. Immediately she began patting softly on his back so that he will resume his unstirred sleep.

Fitz laughed at her outburst, "why not?" Before she could've replied the sound of their doorbell interrupted.

"I got it," Fitz said, moving stealthily from behind her.

Olivia made herself comfortable on the couch by grabbing one of the throw pillows to rest underneath her head since her human one had left. From the distance she heard quiet talking before the door was shut.

"Who was that?" She asked, when Fitz reentered the living room holding a brown envelope in his hand.

"Abby. She came to drop these off. Our wedding pictures."

"Yea?" Olivia said, smiling goofily. She couldn't wait to see how they'd turned out.

"Want me to take JT to bed and then we can go through it?" Olivia nodded and gave Jackson a kiss before letting his father take him to his room. A few short minutes later he returned from the little boy's bedroom shaking the front of his shirt.

"Is it me or is this place hot?"

"Probably you," Olivia returned. Granted she was wearing a spaghetti strap tank top and a pair of shorts while he had on a white tee and long plaid pajamas pants.

He shrugged and removed the white tee to make his temperature cooler before occupying the spot on the sofa she made for him. With his back to the chair arm she rested her head on his bare chest while lying between his legs.

"Ready?" She asked, with the white-laced covered album in hand. She'd taken it out from the package left on the coffee table while Fitz was taking JT to bed.

"Yup." He said, while running his fingers through her freshly moisturized curls. Olivia relaxed underneath his touched and began flipping the first page.

The first picture was of her and Fitz the minute after they'd become husband and wife. She was tilted over in his arms and his face was a mere few centimeters away from hers'. The look of love and happiness radiated off of both of their faces. The rest of the pictures were simplistic but equally beautifully, it was evident by each and every one of them that the couple was in love. The magnificence of it brought tears to Olivia's eyes. She was truly blessed to have an incredible man by her side and a caring best friend who took time, money and effort to give her a day she would never forget. Olivia knew that she could never repay her for it, although she didn't expect her to. When the silly pictures came about she and Fitz burst into laughter. There was one where Jackson was trying to crawl through his father's legs and Abby had the following text added to it (that's not where you came from).

"This was one of the happiest days of my life." Fitz confessed, when the last of the pictures were viewed.

Slightly surprised by this Olivia questioned, " oh yea?"

"Don't act surprise." Fitz chuckled.

Olivia laughed and shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly before saying, " I don't know. Sometimes I feel like maybe I forced your hand and you really didn't want to do this. And as much as I want to be married to you I don't want to do so while you're miserable."

He squeezed her shoulders lovingly. "Babe… Do I look miserable? I'm the furthest thing from being miserable. I get to love you and be loved by you and it feels great. As a matter of fact, I think it feels a little bit better now, because to me you're happier and more relaxed. And that's all that matters to me. So, like I said, our wedding day is one of the happiest days of my life."

Olivia smiled a face splitting smile. "I love you babe."

"And I love you too." Fitz returned, leaning forward to fuse their lips together. Since the kiss was upside down he kept it short.

Pulling apart Liv said, "Let's go to bed. I have a little extra energy that I wouldn't mind using," she spoke seductively. The short kiss he gave was enough to rev her libido up. She didn't had to say it twice because Fitz was already on his feet scooping her up in his arms before carrying her off to their bedroom.

Olivia laughed heartily because he was just as insatiable as her. However, her laugher quickly turned into moans when his skillful mouth began nibbling on her erogenous zones. From that moment she was no longer playful Livvie she became a vixen that was stimulated by her partner's sexual prowess. And when he had stripped them both from their clothes and had embedded his shaft deep inside of her chambers, she fought the urge to scream out loud. Instead, her teeth gnawed on her lower lip, preventing the loud moans threatening to spill from it.

"Right there baby," she cooed and pealed, when his strokes were in just the right angle. Her right leg hung limply over his shoulder as he stretched and filled her with each deep penetration.

"You like that?" He growled, going deeper as if that was even possible.

Olivia felt his thick cock deep inside of her canal; she bit her hands after giving her lips reprieve, the pleasure and pain made her unexplainably heady. He was here, there and everywhere.

"Oh… god… Fitz…" the muffled sounds of her voice permeate the room.

"You feel so good. So tight… and wet," he groaned. The wetness of her aroused sex dripped onto his balls.

"Faster, baby…" she begged, her lower belly quivering in wake of her impending orgasm.

Fitz bent down and nudged her hand from her face with his mouth before connecting their lips in a searing kiss. He kissed her passionately with tongue, capturing all of the moans she was futilely trying to keep in – all the while pummeling in and out of her. The bed quietly creaked underneath the pressure of their intense movements.

"I… I'm coming," she called out, when her walls began contracting around his length.

"Cum. Cum… for me, baby." Fitz encouraged, pressing onto her love button with his thumb, further stimulating her senses.

The world stopped spinning when the crescendo of her orgasm arrived. She was seeing literal stars behind her eyes as her body spasm underneath him. It was heavenly, pure bliss, heaven on earth or any other cliché term. But… it was all so very true for Olivia in that moment. Her juices flowed out of her in abundance, a sign of victory and momentarily satisfaction. She was so caught up in her own pleasure that she barely registered the warm seeds being spilled deep inside of her.

Moments later tangled in each other, sated and happy they tried to regulate their breathing. After she regained normal breathing and feelings to her legs Olivia got up and went to the bathroom to clean off herself before returning to see Fitz shimmying back into his pajamas pants.

Lying on their designated side they cuddled together.

"I'm going to tell dad about the baby." She said sleepily, yawning.

"Want me to be there?" Fitz yawned also.

"It's ok, we're going to dinner on Tuesday and I'll just tell him then."

"Ok, baby," Fitz said, kissing the side of her face.

"Mm…" Olivia murmured before she succumbed to sleep.

* * *

Tuesday came around quickly and it was time for dinner with her father. Olivia had picked JT up earlier from Fitz' mother – since he had started school the day before, he now dropped JT off at Elizabeth and Olivia picked him up when she got off from work. They were both very grateful that Liz had no problem keeping her grandson; as a matter of fact she encouraged it. Even though this was the case Olivia still brought up the topic of sending Jackson to preschool, even if it was just for 4 hours a day. As a teacher she recommended that kids be in an environment that fosters social skills at an early age. Jackson is an outgoing child but she still believed that it would benefit him to be amongst his peers. Fitz said he would reconsider it and get back to her. That was their new system of proper "communication." They allowed each other time to properly think over a situation before further weighing in with their opinion. Where did they learned that? From their marriage counseling session, it left them with several useful tips.

Olivia pulled into the overcrowded parking lot of Tijuana Flats, luckily to have found a parking spot at the front. She placed her car into park before climbing out. Opening the backdoor she unbuckled Jackson from his car seat. Finally, she grabbed the small gift bag next to his car seat before making their way inside. It was easy spotting her father in the crowd of mostly white faces. John sat stoic in a corner booth nursing what Olivia presumed a glass of Coca-Cola.

"Papa," Jackson called from his mother's side, pointing in the direction of his grandfather.

"Told you we were going to see papa," Olivia returned, leading him through the maze of tables and chairs along with people.

John saw them walking towards him and he immediately stood, excitement written all over his face. When they were in arms reach he first scooped his grandson into his arms before embracing his daughter in a bear hug.

"You look radiant," John said, regarding his daughter with loving brown eyes.

"Thanks, dad," Olivia smiled. "You don't look so bad yourself." She said lightly, taking in his simple navy polo shirt and khaki's cargo pants with a pair of brown boat shoes. Her father was a Floridian through and through.

John spent the next five minutes showering JT with all the love and tenderness he could give. Later on they each order the taco special for consumption. Olivia ordered soft shell tacos for her and the hard shell for Jackson. He enjoyed the crunchiness of it but his mother disagreed.

While they waited for their food they caught up with each other.

"Fitz's at work?" John inquired, helping Jackson with the small coloring book that the waitress gave him.

"Yes. He's supposed to get off at 11. By the way he started school yesterday," Olivia included the last tidbit proudly. She was happy for her hubby so she couldn't help herself.

"Oh yes, that's good. How's he liking it so far?"

"Too soon to tell. But… if his disgruntled groan he gave me last night is any indication of how it's going, I will say just fine." She laughed.

John chuckled also. Picking up the Styrofoam cup he took a sip of his drink before saying, "All things work together for the good of those who love God." He quoted Romans 8:28.

"Amen." Olivia nodded her head in agreement.

"Aaamen." Jackson smacked his lips, jeering his mother as he busily scratched all over the picture. His grandfather snickered and gave him a small pinch to his chubby cheek.

"Oh, before I forget to tell you. This year's family reunion is from the third to the sixth of August in Pensacola."

Every two years the Thompsons (her mother's side) kept a family reunion. Olivia hadn't been to the last two ones and definitely didn't think that this would be a good one to attend. Staring wide-eyed at her father for a few seconds, she asked, "Do you think it's a good idea for me to go when mom and I aren't talking?"

John sighed and gave his head a little shake. "Let's pray and hope by then you two would be reconciled. In the meantime, I'm going to RSVP you and your family."

_Oh, this ought to be fun_, Olivia thought. Her extended family had never met Fitz or Jackson. They weren't necessarily close because of physical distance and other factors such as her mother's mother never really cared for her father – so they kept their distance. Clearing her thoughts, she finally said, "I'll speak to Fitz about it."

After that they changed the conversation to a much more lighter one.

Twenty minutes later, Olivia finally took the first bite of her taco.

"This is so good," she mumbled between bites.

"Meh… I know a guy who can make a better one."

Olivia playfully rolled her eyes before retorting, "you know a guy for everything."

"Not _everything_," he chuckled.

"I would hope not, dad." She turned her attention to Jackson who was making a mess of his food. "Smaller bites, baby," she coaxed.

"Otay…" Jackson said, heeding his mother's suggestion.

After they were finished eating and John cleared the tab, Olivia took the small blue gift bag and placed it in front of him.

"What's this?" He asked, smiling.

"Open it," she urged, also smiling.

Her father gave her a curious look before peaking inside the bag to find a wallet size picture of his grandson. At first he smiled at the cute picture but his eyes grew wide when he read the small sign that Jackson was holding. It read: _"My role as an only child is coming to an end cuz mommy is due with my new best friend."_

Olivia teared up at the joy on her father's face it overwhelmed her.

Standing to his feet he enveloped her in the warmest hug. "Congratulations, sweetheart. WOW. How far along are you?"

"Finishing up 12 weeks," she said, wiping her eyes.

His heart grew warmer as the seconds went by; he was grateful to God for blessing him with a wonderful daughter and the opportunity to witness his third generation. He was a blessed man although undeserving. The ashes of his past turned into something beautiful. Though he was feeling great joy a part of him was saddened by the thought that his wife wasn't there to celebrate with them. He couldn't handle the fact that the two most important women in his life weren't active members in each other's lives. And that's something that needed to be changed.

* * *

Later that night by the time Fitz had gotten home Olivia and Jackson were both fast asleep. He first hauled his body to the bathroom where he took a quick shower, rinsing of the day's work. The days were becoming longer and harder. Returning to school reminded Fitz how much he hated it. It didn't matter much because he already made up his mind to persevere. Failing or dropping out wasn't an option. He was there to succeed.

When he was finished with his quick shower he got dressed and made his way to the kitchen for something to eat. He hated eating so late, but since he didn't ate dinner he needed something to fill the hole in his stomach. Opening the fridge he smiled at the sight of the to-go box that was perched on the top shelf with his name written on it.

Several minutes later after polishing off the tacos, compliments of his wife, Fitz took out his textbook and laptop and began working on one of his assignments. It may've only been day two but he was already given two assignments.

At around 2 AM he was finally able to retire to bed; the minute his body touched the soft mattress he wrapped an arm around his wife and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. This was mostly fluff with the Grants and tidbits of Liv's dad. What are your thoughts? Highlights? Also, if you were Liv would you go to the family reunion or not? **

**Shout-out to all my Central Florida people and UCF graduates. Go Knights! Lol. **

**Looking forward to your reviews. **

**Until next time,**

**XOXO.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I don't watch Escandalo anymore but I saw the finale Olitz scene and it give me life! Loved it! It gave me some muses to write this chapter. LOL. Enjoy!**

* * *

During his hour break between classes Fitz used his time to visit the nearby AT&amp;T store so that a store associate could look at Olivia's cellphone. For the past week it had been acting up; the battery was overheating and sometimes the phone completely shuts down without any warning. He grew frustrated as he listened to the associate explain the procedure of either visiting an apple store or contacting them via phone to fix the ill working mobile device. When he rebuffed, the attendant simply told him they couldn't help because the phone was still under the manufacturer's warranty. Unsatisfied with the resolution Fitz left the store disgruntled with plans to give the lowest grade on the service survey he knew that they would send him. As he was making his way to his car he heard a chime coming from his wife's phone and he looked down at it. He was surprised to see that it was his mother-in-law who sent her a text. Curious as to what she had to say, he clicked on the icon to open the text. His eyes widen as he read the message.

**Jackie****: I guess congratulation is in order. Another baby Grant that I'm the last to know of. BTW now it makes sense why you would marry him in haste. Congrats anyways, at least this one will be born in wedlock. **

Fitz knew things were always tense between mother and daughter but he had never truly experienced Jackie's backhanded comments in person. Most times when they were around each other she forced a tight smile on her face and pretended to tolerate him. But wow… He was shocked and a whole lot pissed off. For Olivia's sake he never made comments about her mother whenever she would tell him of some of the things she said or did, out of respect for her – because at the end of the day Jackie was still her mother. But in that moment Fitz felt personally offended and reactive, offended for his wife and family at large.

Without fully thinking it through Fitz tapped the call icon next to her name and listened as the phone began ringing.

Two rings later and he heard a terse, "Olivia."

He replied, "This is not Olivia."

A brief silence ensued as Jackie was surprised by her caller. However, not for long, "How can I help you, Fitz?"

Fitz took a deep breath to calm his anxious nerves and also to keep himself from lashing out. He wanted to be rational but above all, respectful, just for Olivia's sake.

"I'm going to get straight to the point, Mrs. Pope, because I know we hardly ever share niceties and I'm sure you rather not. This call today is strictly one of concern for my _wife_. See, I have her phone today because it's not working properly and I need to get it look after. That's not the point though." He paused and recalibrated his thoughts; as he needed to get his words right without rambling.

"What I'm trying to get at and I know you probably know where I'm going with this. I read a very disturbing message that came from you on my wife's phone and – "

"Wow, you read her messages too?" Jackie interrupted haughtily.

"My wife and I have a very open relationship and neither one of us see it as an intrusion when we answer each other's phone or in this case read each other's texts." Fitz answered honestly, not deterred by her arrogance.

Jackie faked laugh on the other end. "You got her real good. So submissive to your will and doings. I bet you like that."

That pissed Fitz off. He leaned against his car for emotional stability as he addressed his mother-in-law's latest offensive comment. "Why do you hate me so much?"

She mocked laughed again. "Hate you? That's a very strong word and too much energy. I just don't like your type that's all."

Her statement took Fitz aback and he replied, "What do you mean my type?"

Jackie never one for not speaking her mind answered, "the one that preys on innocent church girls. You out in the world living worldly and then expect a good church girl to be your wife at the end of the day when you all played out and washed up."

Fitz was in a state of both shock and disbelief. Never in his life had he had words thrown out to him like this. If this was what church people did he didn't want anything to do with them and by extension the church.

"I may not have grown up in church or know the bible from cover to cover but I know somewhere in there it talks about not judging people. Your statement is very judgmental if you asked me. And the last time I checked, Olivia was an adult capable of making her own decisions when we met. She's not a victim in our relationship; she's a willing participant. I didn't force her to be with me. She's with me because she wants to be with me!" Fitz ended passionately.

"If she's a willing participant tell me why you dangled her on a string for 5 plus years? Having her turn her back on her faith and family for you? You control her emotions whether you agree or not! It was her leaving you and getting pregnant again that made you marry her, otherwise I'm pretty sure you would still have her playing house!"

Fitz didn't feel like he had to justify why it had taken him 5 years to marry the love of his life but he made an exception and did anyways. "It may've taken me a while to work out my issues but please don't _ever_ imply that I only married Olivia because she's pregnant. Don't you dare downplay the love I have for your daughter to one of situational coincidence. I love her, she's the love of my life and I intended to be with her for the rest of my life whether a ring and certificate was involved or _not_."

Jackie scoffed in reply to his statement but Fitz continued talking, "And I didn't call you to belittle me and my life choices, you can do that all you want because quite frankly I. Do. Not. Care. But you know who care when you do it? My wife." He answered. "And these little snide comments you say to her, makes her unhappy. And when she's unhappy I'm unhappy, so I'm going to need this to stop. Don't call or send her any messages if you have nothing nice to say."

"Have a nice day, Fitz!" Jackie said before swiftly ending the call leaving a befuddle Fitz.

Fitz gave his nose and exaggerated pinch and shook his head before opening the door to his car. He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. An unsatisfied phone resolution and a bitchy mother-in-law left Fitz in a foul mood.

* * *

He had just come out of his last class of the day and was walking to the parking lot when he heard a female voice called after him.

"Hey you!" He turned around to see one of the girls from his class strutting towards him. She was a tall, athletic looking, blonde woman.

"Hey," Fitz returned when the woman was within good range of him.

"You work at that gym off of Corporate Avenue, right?" She asked, smiling.

"Uh yea," Fitz answered.

"I thought so. Hi, I'm Emily," she proffered her right hand.

"I'm Fitz." He accepted her handshake.

"If you're not already in a study group mine is open for one more member. We meet up once a week at Starbucks." She said, flirtatiously with a wink, getting straight to the point.

Fitz' wore a tight smile while saying, "that's ok. I probably won't have time to meet up."

"Oh," she frowned slightly. "Why not? Will you be too busy working out at the gym?" She flirted again, eyeing up his biceps in the tight short sleeve t-shirt.

"Too busy spending time with my wife and son." He admitted proudly.

Emily frowned even deeper. She had noticed the ring on his ring finger but thought it was a fad since it was those typical gun barrel ring made out of black steel on his hand, which some guys wore for fashion.

"Ok, I won't want to keep you away from that. Have a good one!" She bid, walking off in the opposite direction of him.

Fitz shook his head and smiled to himself. Although it was a boost to his ego every time he got hit on he didn't in the slightest entertained their advances.

* * *

By the end of his shift Fitz was tired mentally and physically, even emotionally since he hadn't spoken to his wife since that morning. He sighed at the now dead phone weighing down his pocket and the problem it still posed.

He was just getting ready to leave when Stephen came out of the bathroom.

"Wanna go to my place for a beer, mate?" Stephen asked.

"Nah, I'm good. Too tired." Fitz returned.

"Come on, bro. It's been a while since we last _hanged_. We'll drink a couple of beers and play some Call of Duty just like old times."

Fitz thought about the proposal for a few seconds weighing out the pros and cons. The pro was he could do with some chill time with his boy especially after a day like the one he had, and also knowing that when he got home Liv and JT would already be sleeping so there goes company. The con was that he probably needed to go home and start on his homework. But truth of the matter was, he didn't feel like doing the con.

"Alright man, you're on."

And the guys left for Stephen's apartment to enjoy some bro time. In the midst of their late night snack of barbecue chicken wings from the little wings shop that kept open till midnight and some Heinekens beers, the guys were enjoying a wildly animated game of Call of Duty.

"So bro, Liv's red head friend, she still with that guy or they broke up?"

"Who? Abby and David? They have been broken up for a minute now. Why?"

"You gotta run a connection, bro. You know how long I have my eyes on her."

Fitz laughed at this and shook his head no. "I'm not getting involve because if you fuck her over then my balls are on a platter. I'll get burn by association. So, don't mess with Liv's best friend who's practically like her sister. Leave her alone, bro."

"Pussy." Stephen said, shaking his head.

"Whatever man," Fitz rebutted. And they continued playing.

They were so into their game that neither had recognized that they had finished a 12-pack beer. Fitz who hadn't been drinking in a while got tipsy quickly and because his body was tired from working and going to school back to back he succumbed to sleep right on his friend's couch.

* * *

Olivia had woken up around 2 AM to go to the bathroom. She rushed to it because her bladder was extremely full. Her quick movements made her unaware of the absent body in the bed. However, upon return she noticed that Fitz' side was practically untouched aside from the small rumples she made in the sheets when she rolled over onto his side. Immediately, her body became alert and she went to go look for him. Perhaps he was studying and fell asleep outside, she thought. Olivia made her way to the living room and found no Fitz. She didn't see his backpack that he normally kept on the sofa. Blinking her eyes wildly so that she didn't miss anything she moved to the kitchen, where it was also untouched by Fitz's presence. She was growing apprehensive by the second because it was already two in the morning and he wasn't at home. Her last resort was the refrigerator, she checked to see if the dinner she left in there for him was eaten but it was not.

_Where is he?_

* * *

The urge to pee awoke Fitz; he opened his eyes to the unfamiliar surrounding and internally panicked. Only relaxing when he realized he was at Stephen's house. Looking down at the cable box on the TV stand he noticed the time was 5 AM. "Shit!" This time he freaked out externally. He knew that for sure Olivia was probably worrying about where he was. Fitz immediately got up and rushed to Stephen's guest bathroom where he took care of his business very quickly. When he returned to the living room he grabbed his car key and cellphone from the coffee table without checking it.

Fitz threw on his Nikes before slipping out of his friend's apartment. He practically raced over to his house while praying that a cop wasn't patrolling in the area. As soon as he arrived at the apartment he threw the car into park mode before rushing out of the car and up the short flight of stairs. When he got to the door he took deep breaths to calm his racing heart before slowly and quietly unlocking the door. What he saw on the other side left him with all of the blood running out of his body.

There was his Olivia sitting in a chair facing the door with her arms wrapped around her waist and her face wearing the angriest and most worried expression known to man.

"Hi," he said sheepishly, having nothing else to say to his wife.

* * *

"Where were you last night?" Olivia asked she was beyond pissed, having not slept since she woke up at 2. At first she was frantically out of her mind thinking he had been kidnapped or something horribly wrong had occurred to him. But if that was the case how was she going to know? She tried facetiming him on the iPad but that was futile, as he wasn't answering his phone. As the minutes ticked by worry began to mix with anger. She was upset that he was out so late and didn't have the decency to notify her.

Fitz took a deep breath and exhaled, if there was ever a decision he wished he could undone, last night would be it. He knew that when he opened his mouth how stupid sounding his answer would be, but at least it was the truth.

"I was at Stephen's. I'm sorry I didn't tell you and I couldn't call since your phone isn't working. It was completely unplanned. We played a few games on his Xbox and drink some beers. I got tired and eventually fell asleep on his couch. I'm sorry baby." He finished, walking up to her but she placed her hand out, effectively stopping him from getting closer.

"_Oh_, ok... Next time I go out with my friends I'll be sure to not call you or tell you where I am since this acceptable behavior. There's a reason why they made FaceTime!" She spat.

Fitz sighed and ran his hand through his curls.

"Baby, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to make you worry. I screwed up and I'm sorry." He tried again. It was no use arguing with her because he wouldn't like to be in her shoes. If she hadn't come home one night he would practically upturn the entire Tampa area looking for her.

"Whatever. Keep your apologies, because I don't want to hear it!" She rolled her eyes and retreated to the restroom because she couldn't stand looking at him.

* * *

Fitz and JT watched from the doorway as Olivia hopped into her car before carefully backing out of the parking spot and driving off. Fitz sighed as she left for work, since their blowout she hadn't spoken two words to him. Other than a kiss and a s_ee you later_ good-bye to Jackson she said nothing else. However, he understood her wrath and he gave her space to work out her feelings knowing he was in the wrong.

"What do you want to do today, bud?" Fitz asked, ruffling his son's bed hair.

"Pway and eat ice cweam" He answered proudly.

"You're only going to get one out of those two requests. Play it is! Want a piggy back ride?"

Jackson squealed, "yesshh!"

Fitz got down on all fours and assisted his toddler onto his back before creeping away with him.

The duo spent the next hour playing before they ate a light breakfast and got ready to start their day.

* * *

"You ok?" Quinn asked Olivia during recess. Olivia was in a foul mood and she couldn't help pretend any differently.

"I'm fine," she quipped a little too haughtily.

"Ok, if you say so." Quinn backed off. "By the way, I have some news on the Johnson's. They met with Principal Beene yesterday afternoon, _finally_," she said with an eye roll.

This got Olivia's attention and she focused on what Quinn was saying. After months of trying to get the parents to come in they final came.

"Apparently, they're living out of their car right now and they begged that we do not report this to CPS, because they're really good people that is just out of luck at the moment."

"Oh no! What did Principle Beene say?"

"What is precautionary of course! That he cannot do that because the state requires him to report all cases of homelessness, especially where a child is concerned. And they threatened to keep her away from school if he was going to do that."

"Is that why she didn't show up today?" Olivia asked sadly.

Quinn nodded her head sadly and shrugged her shoulder.

"What else, Lord?" Olivia asked rhetorically, an expression of her already shitty day. At the same time her phone vibrated, even though it wasn't properly working she took it back from Fitz, and when she looked at the screen she saw that it was her father. Feeling a little happy about the prospect of speaking to her father she excused herself and answered the call.

Little did she know that the call was going to upset her day even more.

* * *

At the end of her workday Olivia was tired since she had barely slept, frustrated and was feeling very nauseous. She hadn't vomited for the day but the nagging urge to do so was ever present. She just wished that she did so that she would get some relief.

As she was driving over to her mother-in-law's house she heard Fitz specific ringtone began playing. She briefly glanced at the phone screen to confirm her belief and returned her eyes on the road. She didn't want to talk to him but knew that it would be petty if she didn't. So she answered with a click of the hands free button on her steering wheel, "hello." Her voice filled with animosity.

"Hey baby, I was wondering how your day was going." He said smoothly on the other end of the call.

"Good," she replied in a clipped tone.

"Ok… What do you want for dinner? I'm getting off early from work and maybe we can go out tonight?" He was trying real hard to make it up to her. He didn't want her anger to fester and become deadlier.

"I don't want to go out."

"We can do take out then. What do you want to eat?"

"I don't want take out," she rejected yet another one of his propositions.

"What do you want then?" He asked, putting the ball in her court.

With eyes effectively on the road, she said, "I want to know why you call my mother and had the audacity to disrespect her!"

Immediately Fitz retorted, "One, I did call your mother and two, I did not disrespect her."

"So, why did you tell her not to call my phone again and that she was a judgmental person that hates you? That's my mother! You don't see me disrespecting yours!" Olivia spat angrily.

"You can't disrespect my mother when she does nothing but respects you. And like I said, I did not disrespect your mother. You know what? We'll discuss this later because right now you're pissed and talking to you when you're angry is like talking to a brick wall. I'll see you at home." Fitz said coolly and ended the phone call.

Olivia was even more upset and had to force herself to calm down as she was still driving.

* * *

She pulled up at Liz's house and the nagging urge to vomit intensified. She barely got out of the car and rushed to the side where she emptied her stomach on the hyacinths flowers her mother-in-law took pride in growing.

Olivia was a combine mess of puking and now crying. Her fluctuating hormones coupled with frustrations had her expelling her vexations through tears. And when she was done she felt lightheaded.

She slowly made her way to the front door and rang the doorbell. A few short seconds passed and the door was opened by a bright faced Elizabeth dressed in a long flowy bohemian styled dress.

"Oh no, sweetheart, you look a mess." Elizabeth said outright, never one for filtering out her words.

Olivia gave her a small smile. "Feel like one."

"Do you want to lie down?" Elizabeth asked, moving out of the doorway so that she can enter.

Olivia was going to refuse but then the urge to vomit again and the lightheadedness returned. "I think I'll do that. Thanks."

"Ok, let's go to Fitzy's old room. Jay is down for a nap so you'll have some free time," Elizabeth added.

Olivia first went to the bathroom to rinse her mouth out while Elizabeth went to the kitchen to make her some tea.

"Thank you," Olivia said, accepting the hot beverage a couple of minutes later. She was now stripped down to her under clothes and was lying underneath the soft covers.

"You're welcome, sweetheart, now rest up." Elizabeth leaned forward and gave her forehead a chaste kiss and it made Olivia teary-eyed. She appreciated the love and acceptance Fitz' mom gave to her, something her own mother couldn't do. It truly touched her and meant a lot to her.

* * *

Around 7 in the evening Olivia and JT had finally returned home. After the nap and dinner at Liz's she felt reenergized. She needed that more than how she'd initially believed. The first thing she noticed when she got home was Fitz' car in its parking spot beside hers. He had called again earlier to inquire about their location, she had half the mind to let it go to voicemail but again she didn't want to be petty. After all, two wrongs don't make a right.

"Hold mommy's hand," she told JT who was climbing up the stairs without holding onto the staircase railing and she was scared that he was going to fall."

"No, mommy. I's a big boy." He pouted. "Gwama say so," he further expressed.

"Yes you are, honey, but mommy don't want you falling down."

"No. I not fall down. Dada teach me to do it."

"Oh," was all Olivia said and since they were already at the top of the staircase she dropped the topic. After all her son was a "big boy."

She opened the front door with her keys and was greeted with a large bouquet of flowers in the same chair she had occupied several hours earlier. Fitz was nowhere insight but she could smell cooking, so she assumed he was in the kitchen.

"Fwowers," Jackson exclaimed, as soon as his eyes landed on the pretty arrangement.

"No Jackson!" Olivia chided when he advanced towards it.

He frowned at her and folded his arm.

"What were you going to do?" She asked calmly.

"Play with it," he answered hopefully, assuming that he was going to get to do so.

"Well it is not something you play with. Ok?"

"Otay," he said walking off to go play with one of his actual toys on the carpet, which happened to be an Iron Man action figure.

Fitz heard them from the kitchen but didn't immediately surface as he was monitoring the panfryed chicken he was making for dinner. However, when the batch was done he walked to the living room to greet them.

"Good night strangers," he said, revealing his presence.

"Daddy!" JT squealed, not used to seeing his father home so early during the weekdays. He got up from his place on the floor and went to his father, wrapping his arms around his legs. "I missed you!" He pouted. That was his new thing he said whenever either of his parents had been away for an extended period of time.

"I missed you too, bud. How was your day?"

"Goood. Gwama took me in pooool and we swim like fishes."

"That's pretty cool. What else did you do?" Fitz asked, completely wrapped up in the details of his son's day that he hadn't noticed Olivia heading towards their room.

"Eat alllllll my vegetebules." He grinned smugly.

"Oh that's great." He finally looked up and saw that she was no longer standing in the living room. Lowering his voice, he asked, "what about mommy? Is she upset? Sad?"

Jackson shrugged his shoulder casually. "No, mommy sleeeeep alllll afternoon."

"Oh…" Fitz stored that piece of information in the back of his brain. "Do you want to help daddy finish cook dinner?"

Jackson enthusiastically nodded his head yes.

* * *

Olivia took a long shower and when she was finished she went on the bed to relax. She wasn't ready to face Fitz as her emotions were still flailing high from today. Nothing in her day made sense especially her mother's accusations about Fitz disrespecting her. Sighing she tried to push her confused thoughts away.

Her phone chimed and she saw that Abby had sent her a simple, "what's up text?" She grabbed her phone and replied to her message with a simple, "I'm good. How was your day?" She dry chuckled at her response. She wasn't really good but that's what you always say when people ask how your day was? Right?

When she backed out of the message she noticed in the main message area that her mother had sent her a text. Clicking on the message she read exactly what she had sent. At the discovery she had an inkling to check the call log and when she did, she saw the outgoing phone call to her. And in that moment clarity came to her mind. She now understood what trigged Fitz to call her. And it made her less angry at him, just a little…

* * *

Fitz was just about to go get Olivia after plating their foods but she entered the room at the same time.

"I'm not hungry," she said evenly, looking at the delectable meal he prepared.

That crushed Fitz' spirit more than he had liked. "Livvie, don't be like that. You can stay mad how long you want but you need to eat. You're eating for two now," he reminded cautiously.

"I know that. I'm not hungry," she repeated sternly and then added, "I already ate."

"Ok, well please sit with us at the table," Fitz requested calmly.

Olivia regarded him through eye slits but obliged to his request. She took her usual seat opposite him and before long she was picking at the food on her placemat. _Guess his teasing was true; she really ate like a caveman._ She mused.

"So how was your day?" Fitz asked, cutting up his chicken. They were fifteen minutes into dinner and she wasn't saying anything. Only the occasional chatters of Jackson were heard in the mostly quiet atmosphere.

"Let's just drop it, my day was crap. Let's not do this because I'm not in the mood," she told him point blank.

"Livvie, look, I'm sorry and I know we have a lot to discuss but please understand that 1. I didn't mean to intentionally hurt you by staying out overnight and 2. I did not disrespect your mother."

She took a deep breath before calmly saying, "Ok. My day was…" and she began telling him about her day including the new details about one of her students being homeless. She put aside her anger for a brief moment so that their family could have a nice dinner.

* * *

After they had cleaned up and put JT to bed Fitz and Olivia were finally in their room having the "discussion." They were sitting side by side against the headboard of their queen-sized bed.

Fitz went first; he recalculated his entire phone call with her mother as accurately as he could. When he was finished he said, "That was what happened. I did not disrespect her," he stood firmly by that statement. If being truthful was disrespectful then he was but it wasn't.

Olivia didn't know how to feel. On one hand she appreciated him standing up for her and on the other she didn't see that it was his place. He should've told her and give her the opportunity to react.

She breathed deeply, "I understand why you called her, but I just wished you had spoken to me first. Now she has this entirely new nasty story to throw in my face. I swear," she trailed, palming her face in frustration. "It's like I can't fucking breathe with her."

Fitz' mouth immediately hung open because he had _never_ in all of the years they've been together heard her use the F word. She'd used different variations of the word during their intimate moments but he never heard her say the full-blown word. That told him a whole lot; she had reached her wits end.

"Livvie, I'm sorry I'm really sorry. I thought I was doing a good thing by standing up for my family because that message she sent was rude and I saw red. But I didn't disrespect her, even though she said some pretty foul stuff to me." He paused to keep his emotions in check before continuing, "I never truly understand how much shit you go through and went through for us and I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I didn't make things easier for you all these years you wanted us to get married. I really am sorry, and if I could turn back the hands of time and have the knowledge I have now I would do things completely differently."

Liv appreciated his sincerity but it truly didn't resolve much with her mother. Today made her realized that once and for all, in order for them to move on they were going to need a family meeting, putting everything out in the open.

With that realization she said, "I think it's time we sit down with my parents and have a discussion. There's too much water under the bridge and I need this to stop. For my sanity and for the health of my unborn child. I can't be dealing with this stress over and over. If my mother and I don't have a relationship in the end then I'm fine with it because I have tried. But I need closure and I'm tired of this cloud looping over my head. It's time for this nonsense to end. Don't you feel the same way?" She asked exasperatedly.

Fitz regarded his wife intently to see if she was hesitant but she wasn't. Maybe it was time for them to have a sit down, a hostile sit down.

The couple spent the next hour talking through their problems, and with much pleading and begging on Fitz' part he was spared having to sleep another night on the couch.

* * *

** A/N: So quite a few things happened. Would loveeee to hear your thoughts!**

**Was Fitz in the right to call Jackie? Is it a good idea for Olitz to have a "family meeting" when Jackie has been nothing but hostile towards them?**

**Fitz sleeping out and not calling home. No bueno! But at least homeboy tried to make it up with dinner and flowers. HA!**

**Oh, somebody please give thirsty Emily a bottle of water. Haha. **

**And Jackson made an appearance, of course! Love him! Love writing my Olitz babies. **

**Can't wait to read your reviews.**

**Until Next Time,**

**XOXO**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Enjoy this update and thank you for the reviews from last chapter!**

* * *

"We need toilet paper," Olivia said, looking down at the shopping list on her phone.

Fitz stopped the cart he was pushing with Jackson sitting inside, and grabbed the Sam's generic brand toilet paper they used before continuing their shopping.

Two days had passed and things were still slightly tensed in the Grant's household. Olivia was still giving Fitz the cold shoulder for sleeping out without any notice. Even though it was exasperating to him Fitz held his tongue from commenting on her behavior.

After buying some household items in bulk from Sam's Club they climbed into the Corolla before heading to Target for their final shopping.

In the car it was a comfortable silence between the adults and Jackson's occasional yammering from the backseat.

"Do we need to carry anything with us tonight?" Fitz asked, turning onto the street with Target. Tonight is the night they are having a "family meeting" at Elizabeth's house.

After Olivia had suggested that they have a family meeting, Fitz asked if it was ok if they did it on a neutral ground and had suggested his mother's house after asking Elizabeth for the ok. His reasoning was, going to the Popes will sort of put the ball in their court and vice versa if they were to do it at their apartment. And also, Fitz wanted his mother to be involved; since she was somewhat familiar with what was going on she would be able to be the most levelheaded during the meeting, which they need. At first Olivia was slightly hesitant but in the end she thought it was a good idea, and from there she got into contact with her dad who was relieved to hear about her proposal and he immediately agreed to it. After all this was what he was wanting for a very looooong time. They just hoped that Jackie was going to play nice.

"No." Olivia answered.

"Ok." Fitz half shrugged his shoulders, as his eyes searched for an empty parking spot close to the door. He found one that was a little ways from the door and drove into it. When the car was parked he hopped out, opened the backdoor and unbuckled Jackson from his car seat before walking around to meet Olivia at the entrance door.

"You look beautiful," Fitz complimented, admiring the way her mocha legs looked in the emerald green Bermuda shorts and her breasts in the white spaghetti strap, baby doll styled top that modestly hid her little baby bump. And on her feet she wore simple gold thong sandals that showcased her raspberry colored toenails polish.

Olivia smiled at his compliment and said, "thank you." Surprising him and herself she entwined their fingers together. This was the most genuine touch of affection that they'd shared in the past two days.

Fitz taken it as a good sign leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"Pee pee peeeeee," Jackson wiggled impatiently from his spot next to his father's legs.

Pulling apart from his wife's pillow soft lips, Fitz said, "I'll take him. Where are you going to be?"

"In the beauty section." Olivia breathed a bit wide-eyed from the chaste kiss.

"I'll get the cart on my way there."

"Ok, honey," Olivia returned before walking in the opposite direction of her boys.

* * *

Olivia was checking out the sales on the natural hair products when she heard her son's voice telling a passerby _hello_ and it made her smile. He was such a friendly and sweet little boy. Beaming with happiness her hand naturally gravitated towards the hardening bump on her lower belly. She loved being a mommy and was excited for the new addition she was carrying.

At the same time she looked down the long aisle she saw him seated in the red card while his dad pushed him from behind. He was smiling widely showing off his pearly white teeth.

"Someone is being very friendly today," she complimented, ruffling his curly hair when they had reached her.

Jackson smiled and shook his head shyly.

"I think you deserve a reward for that."

"He does?" Fitz asked curiously from the back.

"Uh huh."

"And what about me? I deserve a reward too." It was always a competition between her big boy and little boy.

"You've been a bad boy," Olivia smirked.

"You can always punish me," Fitz suggested salaciously.

"Nah, that'll be too good a reward for you. Not doing _anything_ is the best reward for you. "

"No fair," He pouted.

"Funny thing is, life isn't." Satisfied that she was able to shut him up she gave him a wink before grabbing the jar of ORS hair butter from the shelf and tossing it into the red cart.

* * *

They were finally finish grabbing the things they needed and was leaving the store when Olivia saw the cutest newborn yellow onesie with the words _Today is my birthday. The world is lucky to have me. _

"Oh my gosh! Fitz, isn't this the cutest thing you've seen?" She asked excitedly. They hadn't yet started shopping for the new baby but this was the perfect first buy.

"We have to get it," she said before Fitz had a chance to reply.

Fitz rolled his eyes playfully and smiled. "How much?" He then asked.

Olivia looked at the price tag and grimaced. In a small voice she said, "thirty bucks."

Fitz' eyebrows shot up to the ceiling. "Thirty dollar for a onesie that they probably will only get to wear once?" He asked incredulously.

Olivia sighed and rebut, "but it's cute…"

"And yellow. What if it's a boy?"

"He can wear it. There is nothing wrong with boys wearing yellow. You wear yellow." She pointed out.

_Ok… that wasn't a strong point_, he mentally chastised. "I still think it's a little excessive, but if you want to get it, ok..." He added, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

Now, when he put it like _that_ she didn't want to buy it anymore. After all $30 was a lot of money for them to spend on one onesie. With her conscience activated Olivia decided to let it go for now… She however, made a mental note to return for the onesie at a later date, as it might go on clearance and because she really liked it.

"Alright, we'll not –"

"Twuck," Jackson interrupted, pointing to a yellow and green truck on the nearby shelf.

"Cool truck," Fitz complimented, eyeing up the oversize MACK truck.

"I want truck. Peaseeee…" He stretched out his bottom lip and widened his eyes. Something he'd picked up from both of his parents.

Fitz sighed, as he didn't want to disappoint his son. They didn't make it a habit of buy him a new toy each time they went shopping; and for the most part they avoided walking through the toys section altogether, least he gets enticed.

"Mommy is already buying you a toy," Fitz said, referring to the action figure in his son's tight grip.

"Me no want Spidaman no mwoe. I want twuck, peaseeee." Jackson thrust the action figure forward to emphasize his point.

Olivia walked over to the truck and saw that it was almost a hundred dollars. _Yikes_… There was no way he could barter his $5 toy for a $95 one. Returning to her son, she said, "Honey, I'm sorry we can't get you the truck today. You'll have to take Spiderman home. Ok?"

"No! I want twuck!" Jackson exclaimed and threw the action figure onto the floor in haste.

Before Fitz could've reacted Olivia was in the little boy's face, nose to nose, and in a low tone, she warned, "you listen to me and listen real good. Don't you dare speak to me like that or throw anything again on the floor. Do you want me to bring out mommy's little helper?" Her tone got louder towards the end, as she lifted her right hand non-threating for him to see.

Jackson's bottom lip began trembling before he let out his first sob and then full-blown tears.

"Let's go, Fitz, he's not getting anything since he doesn't want it."

Now, Fitz was feeling a little bad for his son. He couldn't help it, as a parent you feel your child's pain, but he knew that he needed to stand united with his wife. After the mall incident with Jackson and his temper tantrum, Liv and him had a serious talk about how they needed to be a team when it comes to disciplining their children.

So, instead of returning the action figure to the shopping cart Fitz returned it to the shelf before pushing the half filled cart and crying little boy to the cashier, where they paid for their merchandise and leave the store.

* * *

After unpacking groceries and cooking lunch, the family ate a delicious serving of homemade tomato soup and cheese sandwiches before retiring in front of the TV. When Jackson had fallen asleep they retired to the master bedroom. With Jackson sleeping in between his parents they indulged in a quiet conversation.

Propped up on her side Olivia was gently moving her hand up and down Jackson's back as she spoke.

"I want you to know that I don't regret meeting you. I don't regret falling in love with you. I don't regret having Jackson. Things weren't always smooth but you guys are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I love you, Fitz. I love you so much. Please remember this when we go to your mother's later on.

Fitz moved his hand to meet hers on JT's back and he entwined their fingers.

"I love you too, Livvie. I really do…" he trailed. "I wished that you didn't have to go through this with your parents, more so your mother. It's kind of ironic that I try to push my father away because I didn't agree with his choices. And although I try to distant myself from him he still tries to reach out to me. Hell! He's paying for my college tuition right now. But, I don't understand why your mother treats you like this. You're the sweetest, most understanding and caring person I know. You don't deserve this." Fitz' blue eyes sharply pierced hers as he spoke in a voice just above a whisper.

"Maybe I do," Olivia confessed, looking away from his penetrating gaze.

"What do you mean?"

Olivia let out a long breath. It was time she was truthful to herself and to Fitz regarding the relationship with her mother.

"Remember in the beginning phases of our relationship you had wanted to meet my family and I kept delaying?"

Fitz remembered, "yea, it had taken me like almost a year to get an introduction."

Olivia nervously chuckled and sighed. She untangled her hand from Fitz' and lay on her back. "Well… I didn't know how I was going to take you home to meet them and you weren't saved. So I lied to them when they asked me if I was seeing someone. My mother knew that I was and she kept badgering me to spill. Eventually, I had to speak the truth because she discovered a hickey on my neck." She turned her head to him and shot him daggers with her eyes. "Anyways, that was the beginning of her telling me that you're not good for me and that you'll lead me away from my faith. We're unequally yoked, blah blah. Eventually, I got tired of her and I hid details of my life from her for apparent reasons. I know that behind her tough exterior she was just trying to see me live right or whatever. I get that and looking back I personally think that I could've done a better job of handling the situation. Maybe I should've stand up more for you and for myself, but to be honest I wasn't sure that I could. Not because I didn't love you…" She paused, trying to get her thoughts right because she was rambling.

Fitz' heart was hammering in his chest as she spoke. This was all new information he was hearing.

"You may not fully understand where I'm coming from and that's ok." She paused again.

"Because I had been brought up a certain way and was taught certain beliefs, those teachings are rooted in me. A part of me couldn't stand up to my parents because I felt guilty and ashamed of what I was doing. So I allowed my mother to say things that were mean and cruel without refuting them. I didn't feel like I had a right to defend myself because I felt like I was in the wrong." She wiped the tears that had run down the side of her eyes.

Fitz breathed heavily; this was tough. What could he possibly say after that? So many questions were swirling around his head. But the most prominent one was what he asked quietly, "Why me?"

"Why not you?" She rebutted.

"Come on, I'm sure you could've had a nice guy from church who would've given you way less grief and who your parents would like. It would've been easy." He admitted even though it hurts.

"Trust me, if that was suppose to happen it would've happened. The moment I met you I knew that you were different and the more I got to know you I knew that I could never stay away from you. You're the one that I want and if I had to do it all over again I would choose you, Fitz. I believe that God made you for me, because when I'm with you I feel at rest, I feel at home in your arms." She didn't mean to sound cheesy but the words she spoke was from her heart.

As strong as he was he needed validation of her love too, and to hear her say that she doesn't regret falling in love with him made him feel like less of a monster. He doesn't feel like that guy who took away her innocence, contrary to what her mother believes.

As they were having a heart to heart conversation Olivia brought up something that has been on her mind. "I plan on returning to church on Sundays, you don't have to come but I would love if you did." She said, holding her breath for his answer.

Fitz thought about it for a few seconds before replying. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath and answered, "I don't know if that's my thing. I'm not going to hold you back but I don't think that's for me and besides I do a lot of school work on Sundays."

Olivia was disappointed but she didn't let it show. She knew that she couldn't force him to go and it wasn't like she wanted to. If he does decides to go it must be on his own. However, at the end of the day she wanted to and she was going to go for her.

"Ok, well it'll just be me and Jackson then."

"Does Jackson have to go?"

"Well… yea. You have a problem with that?" She asked evenly. She didn't think he would have a problem with her taking Jackson to church.

"Uh… yea… no… I don't know. Shouldn't he choose which religion he wants to be without us imposing any specific one on him?"

"Maybe… and he can always choose when he gets older. However, since he can't choose at this time I would like to take him to church with me," Olivia returned.

Fitz didn't want to argue with her on something like this. It was something important to her and he understood. It wasn't that he didn't believed in God it was just that he couldn't relate to some people who claimed to be "Christians" – biggest example, his mother in law. If she is the poster child for what church is like then they can count him out.

"Ok." Fitz conceded.

"Ok."

* * *

Olivia had just returned from dropping JT off two doors down at his godmother Abby, and was making her way to the master bedroom to get dressed for the family meeting. Even though she felt rested from the nap she still felt anxious, _at least she wasn't going completely bonkers_. She mused.

"Honey," she called when she returned to the room to see that Fitz had vacated the bed. He was still asleep when she was getting Jackson ready for his short stay at his godmother.

"In here," she heard him say from the bathroom. She padded across the room to the bathroom and heard the shower running. A salacious grin immediately spread across her face, as an idea popped into her head as she remembered there wasn't any toddler at home. With that newfound freedom she quietly peeled off her clothes and tossed it into the dirty hamper by the door. Naked and unashamed she moved inside of the shower with her husband, whose back was facing her.

Her arms immediately enveloped him from behind with her breasts pressing into his flesh. Her nipples were already forming tight buds from the skin-to-skin contact.

"Baby," she heard her husband groaned as one of her hands made its way lower and took ahold of his hardening member. Her small hand immediately began fisting him.

"What are you doing?" Fitz growled when he felt her petite hand on the sensitive tip of his manhood. Turning around in the warm shower he regarded her with stormy gray eyes.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She asked seductively, getting on her knees under the spraying water, which took Fitz by surprise. It had been a while since she went down on him, not that he was complaining at the moment with her warm mouth around his length.

"Gahh…" He growled, unable to finish his thought process. His hands immediately stretched to the nearby walls for support. She had him by the balls, literally…

Olivia bobbed her head up and down his rigid length in a smooth, even pace, motion; taking him as far back as she could. Being that he was abundantly blessed her right hand covered the parts she couldn't while her left handle fondled with his balls.

The sultry look she gave him through her long lashes had him on the brink of ejaculating.

"Baby… ahhh… I'm gonna cum…" Fitz moaned, holding onto the back of her sodden head. The intense feel of his orgasm already quivering in his lower belly, threatening to spill his seed. He didn't want to cum in her mouth but she wasn't relenting.

Instead, she looked up at him and nodded her head, giving him consent to do what he was unsure of. The look of trust, surrender, love and adoration on her face pushed him into oblivion.

He shot his hot seed blindly into her mouth as she tried to swallow as much as she could but some still got on her chest and breasts.

When he had finish his jerky movements inside of her mouth, she lets go of his penis and watched as it began the softening process. Standing up on her feet with his help, she looked him straight in the eyes and said, "I love you."

And boy… did Fitz feel loved. He reciprocated said love by giving her a stress relieving orgasm before the big meeting. At least they were going in tension free.

* * *

Olivia tried to fix her wet curls as best as possible, mentally chiding herself for getting it wet in the first place. At the time she didn't really care because all she had on her mind was pleasuring her husband. Eventually, she settled for a high one and tucked the ends into a bun. The dampness made her curls look sleek against her head. When she was finally finished with her hair, she applied some lip glass to her lips before heading out to the living room in search of Fitz.

"Are you ready, baby?" She asked, locating him on the couch with both of his elbows on his knees and his hands propping up his head in deep thought.

"Yea, let's go." He stood and walked over to her. Kissing her chastely on the temple, he breathed her in, "You look beautiful and smell incredible," he spoke deeply.

She blushed and replied, "thank you."

Before leaving they ensure that the lights were off and the door was locked. After that they walked down the short flight of stairs together.

On their way over to Fitz' mom they held hands all throughout the ride, silently giving each other the courage they need to face what lied ahead.

* * *

It was approximately 6 in the evening and all parties were tensely seated around Elizabeth's living room. Olivia and Fitz sat in the beige love seat while Jackie and John sat in the L shaped sofa, which left Elizabeth occupying the single red chair. They were finger foods that Liz had made to serve as an appetizer for the dinner she prepared for later.

The atmosphere was thick and almost suffocating. It had only been ten minutes that they were altogether but no one made the move to broach the heart of the meeting.

Eventually, John stood and did.

"I'm so glad that we all can be here tonight. Although it is not exactly on the best of terms, nevertheless, we are all here tonight, alive and breathing. And in good health." He smiled kindly. "Before we begin talking, I hope you all don't mind that I say a little prayer, we can certainly use God's help." He looked around the room and regarded everyone's passive facial expressions before he continued.

"Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity that we can come together as a family to reconcile our differences. I know it's not your will for us to live in disharmony, so I ask of you tonight, to bring about unity, forgiveness and healing into our lives. In Jesus' name, amen." And they all chorused amen.

John resumed his seat next to his wife and took her small hand in his.

"Who'll like to go first?" John asked and everyone looked between Olivia and mother.

Olivia took a deep breath twice before opening her mouth to speak. Fitz' soothing hand on her lower back helped her to stay calm.

"I'm hoping that tonight we can resolve our differences and move forward," Olivia said, looking directly at her mother.

"I want to firstly say that I know I haven't been forthcoming in the beginning with my relationship with Fitz. And for what it's worth I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I lied to your face and I'm sorry that I chose to shut you out. That was on me and I take responsibility for that." Olivia choked, teary-eyed and continued.

"But, you, you have done nothing but judge me for the way I lived. You hurt me, mom... You were supposed to love me unconditionally despite of my shortcomings but you chose the opposite. You couldn't stand that your daughter was living with a guy she wasn't married to and had made a child out of wedlock, while your church sisters children didn't. Instead of accepting me with my flaws, all you did was pushed me away and I stayed away. Now, I'm getting it right and you still can't accept me."

Olivia was in full-blown tears and it ached Fitz' heart. It pained him to see his wife going through this, searching with her whole heart for her mother's acceptance. The scene had his eyes filled to the brim with tears but he held them back.

When Olivia had finished speaking, Jackie waited a few seconds before she said, "You know why I was always tough on you growing up?" She leaned her head to the side to regard her daughter. "So, that you'll be better than me. I wanted more for you; you can't blame me as a mother for wanting more for my child, my _only_ child. So excuse me if I wasn't thrilled that my daughter, the daughter I raised in church enters into a relationship with an unsaved man. The same daughter who knows that what she was doing was wrong in the sight of God. I expected better from you, Olivia. All your life you were doing it right until you met _him_."

Elizabeth had had enough of her accusations against her son. At first she was only going to sit and listen and be a buffer if needed, but now she was livid. Interrupting Jackie from continuing her rant, Elizabeth said, "Listen up Jackie. Watch the way you speak about my son. He's _my child _and I don't take kindly to the way you're addressing him as if he's some monster. My son may not be your ideal son in law but if you ask Olivia or me we can both attest to the fact that he's a wonderful person. Not only is he a loving and caring father, husband and son. He's an all round great person. So I would appreciate if you don't address him as such in my house. As a matter of fact, don't address him like that because it's not who he is."

Jackie quickly returned, "You didn't see the way my daughter looked at me. She could've barely lifted her head when she was around me. He broke her and humiliated her! She walked away from her faith because of him!"

"MOM!" Olivia yelled a little too loudly. "You are getting it all wrong. You're not getting it! You do not understand what we're trying to tell you. You're blaming Fitz for things he has no part to play in. And quite frankly, you have no rights whatsoever to accuse him. You don't know him because you never took the time to get to know him. He's not this person that is keeping me hostage. I love him; I'm in love with him. I chose to be with him. I know that he wasn't a Christian before we were together. I knew that he didn't want to get married before we got serious, but yet I chose him. I did it! I made the decisions; he didn't force me to do or not do anything." Olivia pounded her chest for emphasis.

"So, I'm begging you to stop misdirecting your anger onto him. He did nothing wrong. If loving me was wrong then he's guilty. I'm begging you mom, please… stop accusing him when he did nothing but love me and be there for me when I need him."

With tears streaming down her face, blurring her vision, she continued talking, "This is the last time I'm reaching out to you. As much as you've hurt me I still love you and I still want you to be in my life, to be in my family's life. But if you can't accept us for who we are then I want _nothing_ to do with you. I'll walk away and _never_ look back. Is that truly what you want? Is your heart so cold to see your only child walk away from you?"

The room was eerily quiet except for the occasional sniffling of Olivia's nose. Fitz' arm around was wrapped around his wife shoulders in hopes to take away the emotional pain she was feeling.

John stared intently at his wife's emotionless face, silently praying that tonight the un-forgiveness and bitterness would be expelled from her heart. It was long overdue.

In a soft voice, he addressed his wife, "Jackie, this is the fork in the middle of the road. Are you willing to move on from here as a family? Forgetting the past and moving forward with forgiveness and acceptance? Are you?"

They all looked at the petite woman who looked so much like Olivia. Her hands clasped tightly in her lap while her eyes stared blankly into the distance. She sat upright and proud. But in a blink of an eye something began happening. They all watched as her body began shaking and tears clouded her eyes. Their minds had barely registered what had started to happen when the first sobbed escaped her lips. And if that wasn't surprising enough, she stood to her feet and quickly ran over to the chair Olivia and Fitz were sitting in.

Coming to a kneeling position in front of her daughter, Jackie's head fell onto her lap and she began weeping. Her emotions already sky high didn't help Olivia when she also succumbed to fresh tears. The two women held each other for several minutes as they cried their eyes out.

But they weren't alone; there wasn't a single dry eye in the room.

When the tears weren't fully overcoming her, Jackie said, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you, Livia. Oh God, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. " She was on repetition, saying the same things over and over.

Olivia held on tightly to her mother as she allowed not only her words but also God to heal her broken heart. She needed this for so long and it finally came.

After an eternity of crying had passed Jackie turned away from Olivia and turned to Fitz, taking his hands in hers. With tears still flowing down her face she hiccupped, "I'm sorry for judging you without knowing you. I'm truly sorry for the words I said about you. If there's any place in your heart for you to forgive me, I'm begging you to. I would like if you can give me a do over."

Fitz was too choked up for words so he settled for a slow head nod. He didn't know how they would move off from the past but he desperately wanted to.

Elizabeth sat in the corner dabbing at the corner of her eyes with a tissue, as she too succumbed to the kaleidoscope of emotions coursing through her body.

John sat in his chair, silently thanking and praising God for the miracle that had taken place tonight.

Jackie wiped her eyes for the umpteenth time with the back of her shirtsleeve, she literally felt a humongous weight had been lifted from off of her chest. She felt free from the bitterness she harbored in her heart. At first she was only resentful of the situation but overtime it grew into deep-rooted bitterness. Sometimes she acted blindly without thinking. Looking back she wondered where the hurtful words and spiteful behavior came from, as she couldn't fathom treating somebody so ugly. Now, she saw her actions for what they were. After so many years she was finally able to look at her daughter and her husband through eyes that weren't judgmental. She was finally able to see their love in all of its pure and unbridled glory.

Looking up at them from a place of humility, she said, "I would love to be a part of your lives. Would you have me?"

* * *

**A/N: Some of you may agree with the reconciliation while some of you may not and that's ok. Their reconciliation doesn't mean everything will be perfect, it just means that certain feelings can finally be put to rest. Since Jackie wants to be in their lives it will be on their terms. And tbh as crazy as Jackie is they're many people like her. They're not necessarily bad people they just have misplaced anger and instead of getting rid of it they allow it to fester. **

** So, what are you thoughts on this chapter? I would looooove to read them.**

**Until next time,**

**XOXO**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews and favorites they're truly appreciated. Welcome new followers. Hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

**Will be mostly Fitz centric and his POV.**

* * *

**_Flashback: A little over four years ago._**

_Fitz and Olivia had just returned from the movies and were settling into Fitz' apartment. Since it was already late they were getting ready for bed. They brushed their teeth before moving into his bedroom. Fitz was watching as Olivia shyly stripped down from her date night clothes, slowly peeling off her jeans first and then moving to the yellow tank top she wore. She was still shy around him even though they had been intimate quite a few times. _

_Smirking at her timidity Fitz turned his back to offer her a few moments of privacy. He continued to unashamedly strip down leaving himself in only a pair of black boxer briefs. He walked with his discarded clothes to the empty chair in the corner of his room and laid them neatly on top of it – fighting the urge to toss them carelessly onto the floor as he normally did, since he was still trying to impress Olivia. _

_"Can I look now?" He teased, his back still to her._

_"Shut up," Olivia replied, good-naturedly. "You can."_

_Fitz took that as his cue to turn around; he found her already between the cotton sheets of his queen sized bed grinning at him. Since having a serious girlfriend Fitz took time and money to buy nicer sheets and towel. He wanted to make her as comfortable as possible when she stayed at him because she deserved to be treated like a princess. He was still in shock that a girl like her would fall for a guy like him and he planned on keeping it that way. _

_In one swooping motion he began moving his legs over to the bed and once there, climbed in beside her underneath the cool cover._

_"Hi," he greeted, when his face was a mere few centimeters away from hers. _

_"Hi," she breathed, exhaling her minty breath into the air. _

_They smiled shyly at each other and settled into the other's presence. _

_"You're so beautiful," he whispered and she blushed. "I'm serious, you're really beautiful and I've never felt the way I feel for you with anyone else." He sounded like a four year old with a crush but he couldn't help himself. She brought out these feelings from inside of him that makes him want to gush. _

_"I feel the same way," she confessed shyly. _

_Fitz smiled; grateful that he was her first major relationship, first guy she'd had sex with and first guy to love. It made him feel special and he basked in such feelings._

_He intertwined their fingers together and moved them above their sheet-covered bodies. In the dim light of his beige color, sparsely decorated room Fitz admired the way her brown, dainty hand fit between his large, creamy colored, manly one. _

_"So…" Fitz began. "When am I going to meet your parents?" It had been on his mind for a while now, especially since things between them were getting serious. After all it had been close to eight months since they started their relationship; and besides the fact that Olivia had met his mother on numerous occasions._

_"I… uh…" Olivia stuttered. Fitz sat up, bracing his back on the wooden backboard of the bed._

_"Are you ashamed of me?" Fitz asked, the first thing that came to his mind, afraid of what her answer might be. _

_"No. Of course not!" she quickly answered._

_"Then why haven't I met your parents or any of your friends as yet?" He asked, arching a questioning eyebrow at her. _

_"It's not that simple, Fitz." Olivia tried to reason._

_"It should be that simple. If you love me then you shouldn't –"_

_"Fitz…" Olivia interrupted, sitting up and began planting soft kisses on his neck and cheeks. _

_"No," Fitz turned his face away from her assaults, knowing exactly what she was trying to do. Distract him._

_Olivia huffed when her attempts at seduction was futile. _

_"Why am I not allowed to meet your family, Olivia?" He watched as several different emotions ran across her face before she finally answered him._

_"Does next Saturday work for you?" her voice was low when she asked. _

_He studied her face; she looked both relieved and apprehensive. He nodded his head and then hugged her. _

**Present Day**

Fitz snapped himself from out of his thoughts and refocused his attention on the textbook he was reading in preparation for one of his midterm tests. He didn't know why all of these past memories were plaguing him ever since that family meeting from a month ago. Even though the air was cleared _some_ and Olivia was slowly rebuilding a relationship with her mother; he was having a hard time coming to grips with emotions that he didn't know he was harboring. Old insecurities of not feeling good enough were also boiling up inside of him. And instead of sharing these emotions with his wife he buried it under work, school and family time.

He never hated Olivia's mother he just didn't care for her and her behavior. But after hearing her description of who she thought he was left him feeling aggravated towards her. He knew that they were supposed to move on from that place but he couldn't help the way he felt. She described him as if he was a monster, a person hell bent on ruining Olivia's life, which was the furthest thing from the truth.

Fitz shook his head again; he needed to get his head in the game. He needed to ace his test. So he refocused his attention on the textbook and pushed Jackie to the back of his head, at least for now.

An hour later he checked his watch and saw that it was a little after 2 PM. He got up since he had to be at work for 3, closed the textbook and packed it inside his backpack before walking out the door of the UCF library and head towards his car in the students parking lot.

* * *

Later that night Fitz got home around 11: 20 PM; he was more tired than anything else. He needed to sleep but knew that wasn't happening anytime soon; he still needed to study a little bit more before he went to bed.

After taking off his sneakers at the front door and stacking them neatly to the side Fitz carried his book bag to the living room and dropped it on the lone beige sofa that decorated their living room along with two individual arm chairs – one green and the other mustard yellow. It was Olivia's choice of course; she loved bold, vibrant colors. And he had to compliment her on the choice because it looks great against their deep red walls. With his backpack now situated on the couch Fitz moved quietly to the kitchen to find something to eat. He hated eating so late but many times he couldn't help it and tonight was one of those nights. He did not had the chance to eat anything substantial since lunch so he was famished.

Looking inside of the refrigerator he was met with a Pyrex dish of meatloaf, a bowl of mashed potatoes and another bowl of sautéed vegetables. He gingerly took out each securely covered bowl and sat them on top the countertop, where he then scooped out healthy portions of the food before putting it into the microwave for 60 seconds.

Whilst he waited for the food to heat up he surveyed the drawings on the fridge that Jackson made. Tonight, he happened to notice a new one. It was mostly scratching but he could make out three stick figures, and on one of the stick figures he noticed that it carried something that looked like a circle in the belly area. He assumed that was supposed to be Olivia and her growing baby bump. She was quickly approaching the 20 weeks mark and her stomach had begun to show more visibly and Jackson was ecstatic. Occasionally he would even talk to her stomach and kept addressing the baby as his "sistaa…" They had yet to find out the sex, which will be known at their next appointment.

With thoughts of the new baby reminded Fitz that so much still needed to be done. They needed a bigger place; they were currently working out the logistics of renting a house versus buying one. Truth be told, they were not financially stable enough to buy a house. Things would be very tight if they did but that didn't stop him from trying to be a homeowner. He was truly grateful that when it came to their finances that Olivia was both responsible and understanding. He couldn't imagine how it would be if she was anything else, it probably would've stressed him out if she was one of those girls that demanded a lot of financial gains.

The ding of the microwave brought him out of his thoughts and he walked the few steps over to open the door. He took out the steaming plate of food and rested it to the side of the microwave before he returned the three bowls back to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water and closed the refrigerator's door in the process. With his plate in his left hand and bottle of water in right he made his way to the living room. Settling everything down on the mostly scarce coffee table – save for an empty oval shape, bronze colored ceramic bowl ornament; they kept the decorations to a minimum from the hands of a mischievous 2 year old.

He powered on the shared laptop he and his wife uses, perched on top of the coffee table. Signing into his school's system he pulled up the notes underneath the lesson tab and began to go over it while he ate. For the next half an hour he was deep into his studies.

His concentration was broken when he heard a chime coming from the computer. Looking over to the right side of the screen he noticed that he received a message through the chat system. The school's portal enabled students in the same class to message each other, a feature he had yet to use. His computer chimed again. It was from Emily. Shit… Fitz groaned internally. What did she want? She always tries to talk to him in class but he's always curt with her. Debating whether or not to open the message even though she could see he's online; he chose to ignore her but five minutes later another message came through.

Aggravated by the interruption Fitz decided to open the message.

**Emily: Hey!**

**Emily: Someone is up late tonight.**

**Emily: What you doing? Stop ignoring me.**

Fitz breathed out heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose before typing a response to her.

**Fitz: Studying. **

**Emily: Me too. Are you ready for the test?**

Fitz frowned at the quick reply; he didn't want to entertain her, he wanted her gone.

**Fitz: Working on it. TTYL**

**Emily: Are you leaving already? Maybe we can keep each other company *pouting***

He didn't want to come off as rude but he truly needed zero interactions at the moment so he replied with a frank message.

**Fitz: I'm sorry no can do. I need to focus and you're distracting me right now. **

**Emily: So, you can admit that I'm a distraction?**

_What? Umm… this is awkward, _Fitz thought._ What was she talking about? Is she trying to twist my words?_

He didn't reply to her, thinking that the best thing at this point would be to ignore her but she sent him _another_ message.

**Emily: Well, I find you more than a bit distracting, Fitz. I can barely concentrate in class. **

Fitz had had it with her. He was running on little sleep and just wanted to study and go to bed. He didn't have the time or the patience to play her games. He sent off a final message to her before closing the computer abruptly. That was it for tonight. He got up from his seat and carried the dirty dishes to the sink where he washed them and set them to dry.

He tiredly walked towards the master bedroom to retire for the night.

* * *

The next morning, Olivia was surprised to be up before Fitz. He was normally up by this time and moving around. Sensing that he was truly tired, she quietly got out of bed and padded towards the bathroom. She emptied her bladder first before walking over to the sink to brush her teeth and wash her face.

Applying a dab of toothpaste onto the white bristles of her toothbrush Olivia began stroking the toothbrush in circles across her teeth. As she brushed her teeth she regarded herself intently. Her skin was glowing more than usual; a direct result of pregnancy and her face was fuller. With her free hand she palmed her burgeoning belly.

After she finished brushing her teeth she began speaking to her belly.

"Good morning, little Grant," her just wake up voice greeted. "How did you sleep last night? Mommy can't wait to find out if you're a boy or a girl."

"I'm going to love you either ways. I already love you and can't wait to see you. But, take your time. You need to be fully ready to come meet me, your father and your brother." She chuckled at the end. She predetermined in her mind to enjoy this pregnancy because when she was pregnant with Jackson she felt so much apprehension that she hardly enjoyed it. Granted, this baby wasn't coming at an ideal time but that didn't matter. She felt like she was in a better place, emotionally and spiritually. She was happy and that transcends into her mood and into the way she interacts with her unborn child.

After washing her face with her Aveeno face wash she turned on the shower. Approximately five minutes later she exited the shower and wrapped an oversize bath towel around her body. She pat dried her skin in front of the mirror before moving to the bedroom. Upon returning to the bedroom she saw Fitz sitting up in bed with the white bed sheet covering his lower half.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she greeted brightly.

"Good morning," Fitz mumbled. She ambled over to him and planted a chaste kiss on his forehead before moving off.

"Today is the big day. Ready?" She asked, moving towards the vanity where her bottle of Aveeno lotion was standing on. She grabbed the bottle and pumped it twice, placing a liberal amount of lotion into her hand before smoothing it over her legs.

"As ready as I'll be." Fitz yawned.

After finishing her legs she rubbed the lotion onto her arms. "Well, I wish you the best honey. Why don't you get some more sleep and I'll bring Jackson in here before I leave for work?"

Fitz simply nodded his head before sliding back onto the bed and pulling the sheet completely over his head.

Olivia chuckled at his disposition and continued getting ready for work.

Twenty minutes later she was dressed in a comfortable, cotton knee length dress with cute cap sleeves and round neckline with a pair of black flats. She styled her hair in its infamous bun before applying a little mascara and her trusty Cover Girl pinkish lipstick that carried a brown tint. When she was finished dressing she was surprised to see that Fitz was still asleep, snoring even. _He's really tired, _she mused.

She made her way out of their bedroom and into Jackson's to wake him up, as he was also still sleeping. Her little boy looked peaceful clad in his Thomas the Train pajamas, clutching tightly onto his brown teddy bear that he insisted on sleeping with. He was lying in a fetal position with his back facing the wall; the guardrails on his big boy bed kept him secure.

Moving over to him she got down on her knees and began running her fingers through his brown curls to gently rouse him from his sleep. It was important that he didn't oversleep or else he would be grumpy.

"Jackson… wake up baby," she urged in a quiet singing voice.

He mutters and whimpers in his sleep before opening his bright brown eyes. At first he was annoyed but when he saw his mother's smiling face his expression immediately turned happy.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Olivia's soft voice cooed.

"Moor-" His yawn cut off his greeting and Olivia smiled wider. She tilted forward as far as her pregnant belly would allow and peppered his face with kisses while tickling his sides.

"Mama stopppp," he laughed.

"No, no, no," she pretended to chomp his right arm.

"Me no food," Jackson laughed even harder.

"Yes you are," Olivia returned, laughing. In the midst of laughing she stopped abruptly as a sudden bout of nausea came over her. Steadying herself and taking a deep breath she was able to detract it. Slowly rising onto her feet she stretched her left hand out for her little boy to take.

"Let's go make breakfast," she suggested and he nodded his head, moving his wild curls in the process.

Before heading to the kitchen she carried him to the guest bathroom where he emptied his bladder and washed his hands before brushing his teeth with minimal assistance from his mother. She did the final proof-brush.

"Where's dada?" Jackson asked, as they were making their way to the kitchen.

"He's sleeping," Olivia answered, leading the toddler through the living room.

"Sleeping? Still…" Jackson exclaimed, as if it was the most outlandish thing he's heard his father do.

"Yes, dada is tired and he needs his rest. You know he goes to school and work full time, plus he takes care of us. That's a lot to do," Olivia explained to her son. They were now in the kitchen.

"Dada goes to skool?" His eyes widen when he spoke.

Olivia chuckled softly at her little boy. They would go over the same conversation a thousand times and it would still come as a surprise to him.

"Yes he does, Jackson. He's going to school to be an athletic trainer," the minute she said the last part she immediately regretted it.

"What's an akle-ck-itic twain-ner?" Jackson tried his best to form the words.

Olivia tried her best not to laugh he was so darn cute. "An ath-le-tic train-er," Olivia replied, speaking the words slowly so that he could catch the proper pronunciation, but she wasn't holding her breath. "He's going to be one of those guys who looks after people when they're hurt while playing a game." She broke it down as simple as she could.

"Like meee? I get booboo when I pay with me bike. Gwama Liz say I too fwast. So dada gon help me?" He looked up at her with curious eyes.

Olivia was pleased that he understood the gist of what his father's future career entailed.

"Just like you," she said, smiling.

"That's cool..." He smiled brightly.

Surprised by his choice of words Olivia returned, "It is _cool_ and I'm so very proud of him." She pinched her son's nose, playfully.

The duo laughed and continued their conversation; they were unaware of Fitz' presence, he was watching them from the doorway and heard what they had to say and it warmed his heart. Truly warmed it and gave him enough strength to keep going.

* * *

Later that morning Fitz was walking out of his exam. He felt a bit apprehensive coming out because a part of the exam he was completely clueless on. He couldn't recall anything on it but hoped that the parts that he did know were enough to give him a good grade.

As he was making his way to the parking lot the annoying voice of Emily came into sounding. Fitz pretended that he didn't hear her and continued walking. He'd already spoken his last piece to her last night.

"Fitz, Fitz, wait up."

"WHAT?!" He spun around, barely containing his annoyance.

She smiled meekly at him. "I just want to apologize for last night. I wasn't thinking and I'm sorry I sent you those messages. It's just that I'm going through a hard time right now. My fiancé left me and I've just been…" she trailed, choking on her tears.

Fitz felt like an ass for yelling at her but really he couldn't help her. _What was it she was looking for from him? _

Taking a deep breath he let go of his annoyance and allowed some form of empathy to feel for her. "Look, Emily, you seem like a nice person and all and I'm sorry that your fiancé left you. But, you can't send me messages like the ones you sent me last night. I'm a _very_… _happily_ _married_ man and they're inappropriate. So, please respect that."

"You're right and I'm sorry. I'm just so emotional." She wailed louder and threw herself at him. Fitz felt awkward having this emotional woman cling to him. Should he push her off or try to console her? He didn't know which one to do so he settled for an awkward back pat.

People began walking pass them and even some of the students from their program cast a curious glance. Fitz needed her to get a handle of her emotions because she was embarrassing them both. He gently pried her hands from gripping his T-shirt and stepped back from her.

Looking at her tears streaked face, Fitz said, "I'm sorry, I have to go." He turned around and left. Not daring to look back to see what new state she was in. She made him uncomfortable. A small part of him felt bad for leaving her while a huge part told him that it wasn't his problem. He went with the huge part of his instinct.

* * *

The weekend came and Fitz was glad to finally put his midterms behind him. With a full week off he looked forward to just relaxing with his wife and son. But the type of relaxing his wife had in mind for the day was far from what he was thinking. She suggested that they spend the day with her parents at Busch Gardens. The thought of spending his day at a theme park was enlightening but that was as far as the excitement went.

It was a beautiful sunny Saturday in central Florida, which eight out of ten times it was. The Grants had just had breakfast and were lounging around in the living room when Olivia made the suggestion.

"I don't know. I don't feel like going to Busch Gardens," Fitz replied, deflecting his true feelings.

Olivia was seated on the floor with Jackson putting together a 50-piece puzzle while he was semi-lying on the couch watching Sponge Bob on the Nickelodeon channel.

"Why not?" Olivia asked absentminded. "Look for the blue parts," she told Jackson. They were putting together a Goofy and Donald Duck puzzle.

"Otay," Jackson returned, looking for the blue color amongst the scattered pieces.

"I don't feel like dealing with the hassle, to be honest." Which was partly true, the endless lines to get onto the rides, it was just too much, even though they were yearly pass holders.

"This bwue?" Jackson held up a puzzle piece with a picture of part of Donald Duck's bright blue top.

"Good job, baby. That's blue. Hi five!" She held out her dainty hand for him to touch. He got on his knees and Hi fived his mother with his small chubby one.

"Okay, then we all can go out for dinner tonight? We don't have to go to Busch Gardens to spend some time with each other."

With her back facing the chair she didn't see the disapproving contortion on his face.

"Hello?" Olivia turned to look at him. He hadn't realized that several seconds had passed without his response. He was trying to come up with an excuse to make but couldn't find one.

With a pained smile on his face, he replied in a saccharine voice, "Sure…"

"Great, that's settled. I'll let mommy know that we can make it to Squid Lips."

Fitz was happy that she and her mother were getting along but it didn't stop him from rolling his eyes when she said _mommy_ in a chirpy tone of voice. He wasn't used to this version of Olivia. She was the same but different.

He let out a long quiet sigh and sarcastically cheered in his mind. _Great, there goes his relaxation._

* * *

Around 6 PM they pulled up to the seafood restaurant. Fitz felt a little better because he had an afternoon pick me up in the shower while Jackson was asleep. Lucky for him, Olivia's hormones were constantly raging and whenever they had time and privacy they were able to engage in marital affairs. He even had a little pep in his step as he walked to open the passenger side door for her before opening the back door and unbuckling Jackson from his car seat. When all three and a half of them were out of the car he locked it and they made their way into the restaurant.

"How do I look?" Olivia asked anxiously, smoothing out the white blouse that stopped mid thigh on her black jeans.

"Beautiful," Fitz returned with a smile.

"Sure… my top is not too tight?" she whispered.

Fitz gave her a curious look but didn't question it. "No, you're fine…"

"Thanks," she said at the same time the hostess came up to them and greeted them.

"Welcome to Squid Lips, do you have a reservation?" The petite, Asian woman asked.

"We're here with the Popes. They're already here," Fitz said and the girl checked the electronic tablet in her hands for their names.

"Yes, they're here. Follow me." Fitz held onto Jackson's hand as Olivia and the hostess led the way.

When they arrived at the table both Jackie and John were in deep conversation but immediately stopped when they saw the trio approaching the table. Both of them immediately stood to their feet to greet them.

Olivia hugged her mom first and then her dad before Jackson was hugged and kissed lavishly upon by his grandparents. After they had released the little boy from their loving grips Fitz gave John a manly hug and then moved to Jackie who had her arms open, waiting for him.

"Fitz, it's so good to see you again," she spoke enthusiastically and Fitz gave a wide, fake smile.

"Same here," he returned. When the reunion had died down they all took a seat. The ladies sat on one side of the table and the guys sat on the opposite with Jackson seated at the head of the table in a highchair.

At first an awkward silence filled the air, Fitz was sure as hell wasn't going to break it. This was their first time doing anything together since the meeting and he was slightly uncomfortable. He didn't want to do or say something that he would be judged for.

"So… how was your day?" Jackie asked, breaking the awkward silence before taking a sip from her lemon infused water.

"It was good, spent mostly relaxing. Fitz had tests all week so we decided to take it easy today," Olivia answered.

"Oh, how was that?" John pitched in.

"It was good," Fitz answered evenly.

"Think you pass them?" Jackie asked. Even though her tone was light it came across conceited to Fitz.

"We will see," Fitz returned. _I bet you would like it if I failed, he thought. Get a grip Fitz she's changed. She said that she wanted to move pass from our differences. So stop dwelling on it. _He mentally chastised himself but it was easier said than done.

Jackie dry chuckled, "mmm."

A friendly waiter interrupted their conversation to ask if they were ready to order appetizers. They ordered two servings of fried calamari before resuming their conversation. For the most part Fitz was contented in listening as they spoke and only chimed in when he was asked a question directly. Twenty minutes later, their conversation was briefly interrupted again when the appetizer was delivered and they placed their orders for their entrees.

The conversation resumed; at this point they were talking about the upcoming family reunion that was two months away.

"Have you made up your mind if you're going to go?" Jackie asked, popping a piece of calamari into her mouth.

Fitz locked eyes with Olivia when the question was asked. He noticed that Olivia was looking at him expectantly, since he was the one unsure of whether they should go or not. He knew that she wanted to go because of the new changes in her relationship with her mother but he wasn't sure.

Taking a sip of water he cleared his throat and said, "we're still thinking about it."

"What's there to think about?" Jackie asked.

Fitz gritted his teeth from replying aloud_. There was a lot to think about and you are at the top of the list_, he wanted to say.

"Liv, I'm sure you want to see your nana. She hasn't seen you in a long time and she has yet to see Jackson in person. You should go," Jackie urged.

John chimed in, "I'm sure they'll figure it out. There's still time."

Fitz was thankful for his father in law and his somewhat sixth sense that knows when to jump into an uncomfortable situation.

"Yea, we'll figure it out. Right honey?" Olivia gave him a strained smile.

"Right."

"Shit!" Everyone turned at the sound of the small voice booming the S word. Fitz was alarmed by the word and immediately began recounting in his head if he had recently used the word in front of Jackson or if he had _ever_ used the word in front of Jackson. He couldn't remember either.

"No, no," Olivia reproach.

"Mama shit! Wook!" He repeated, pointing to the crayon that fell on the floor. Fitz saw it and picked it up and returned it onto the tray of his highchair.

"No, we do not say that," Olivia said sternly and Jackson pouted.

"Why? You sway shit."

Fitz had to stop himself from laughing out loud. Out of all the words in the English dictionary Jackson's pronunciation for "shit" was perfect. Thank God it wasn't him he heard used the word. Wooo… He breathed.

"Olivia. Why are you using such words in front of your son?" Jackie reprimanded.

"Mom, it wasn't like that. He probably heard me in passing." She quickly said. "Jackson, it's not ok for you to use that word, ok?"

"Why mama? Bwad wood?"

"Yes," Olivia replied.

"Otay," Jackson said before continuing like nothing had happen. Meanwhile his father tried his best not to laugh at the sour expression on his mother in law's face. The night was worth it after all. Jackson Thomas Grant for the win.

* * *

An hour later when they had piled into their car and was heading home Fitz finally got the opportunity to laugh as hard as possible. Every stifled laugh surrounding Jackson's mouth fart came back to him at once and he was laughing so hard that tears covered his eyes.

"You find it funny? I was mortified. I swear I was waiting for her to say something more," Olivia said, chuckling softly.

"The look on her face when he said it was priceless. Oh my gawwwd!" Fitz laughed harder.

Fitz tried to sober up since he was driving but that was a difficult task when it was so funny, so he pulled off the road and into the parking lot of a strip mall.

"Dada, pease for ice cweam?" Jackson said, seeing the giant cone on top of the Bruster's Ice Cream shop through the car window.

At this point Fitz would give his little boy anything. Turning to Olivia he asked, "ice cream?"

He looked at the time and saw that it was quickly approaching 9.

"Why not?" She returned.

"Alright. Ice cream time, J-man!" Jackson squealed and threw both his chubby arms into the air.

Ten minutes later they were sitting outside in the small eating area on a washed out, green, picnic style table and bench. There was another family with two children sitting at the other picnic style table and bench. Fitz and Olivia held their cones while Jackson's was inside a cup to lessen the mess that was bound to happen.

"Can I ask you something?" Olivia asked Fitz, taking a lick of her strawberry shortcake ice cream.

"Sure."

"Are you comfortable with my mom? Tonight I noticed you look rather uncomfortable."

Fitz looked at the nearby street where the light had just turned green and the cars were beginning to drive off. How can he answer that? He thought.

"You want the truth?"

Olivia nodded her head, "I want the truth."

"Dada wook!" Jackson interrupted; he pointed at the moving car that had neon green lights on the bottom.

"Pretty cool," Fitz returned.

"Uh huh," Jackson said before returning to feeding himself with the chocolate chip ice cream while swinging his legs back and forth on the same bench as his mother.

"I'm not," Fitz returned his attention on Olivia. "I'm trying to, but I have so much feelings brewing inside of me. It's one thing to hear through the grapevine that someone doesn't like you but another thing when the person says it to your face. And before you say it, I know she doesn't hate me based on what she said but that doesn't make it easier. I just don't understand why she thinks I'm a monster. Is it because I don't go to church? Am I a monster to you? Are you frustrated with me because I don't go to church with you and Jackson?" These were all questions that were torturing him.

Olivia reached over the table with her free hand and grabbed his in hers.

"In regards to my mother I know how you're feeling because I feel the same way. Maybe I'm better at coping with my emotions because I know her longer than you; but I still hold my breath and wait for the other shoe to drop. Even though we had an emotional reunion that still doesn't erase the years of hurt she caused and to tell you the truth, I'm still trying to move on from that hurt. Every time she opens her mouth I still hold my breath because I'm unsure if she's going to try and insult me; I brace myself in advance for it. These are real feelings and I can understand if you're not ready to go there as yet. And you could never, ever, ever… be a monster. A monster doesn't have a kind, loving and caring heart like you do. "

Fitz was blown away by her acceptance; he actually thought that she would be pushing him to have a relationship with her mother. He was pleasantly surprised and it showed on his face.

"Don't look at me like that," she said, smirking at him. Moving an unruly lock of hair behind her ear, she continued, "You, him," she pointed her chin at a contended Jackson with ice cream all over his chin and hands, "this baby and God are what matters the most to me."

"Thank you for saying that and for being there for me. One thing this year has thought me, is that you're an incredible woman and I'm glad you have my back. You're my inspiration Livvie, and I love you so much. I couldn't ask for a better life partner."

Olivia became teary-eyed when he spoke.

"The level of patience and understanding you show me keeps me going and it makes me want to be better. And I'm working on being better. For me, for you and for our kids."

"That's all I want for you baby, I'm so proud of you. For everything you're doing. I see you working hard while going to school, on top of being here for Jackson and me. I want you to know that I see your efforts and I'm so stinking proud of you, Fitz."

Fitz felt like someone was pouring cold water on his parched lips when she spoke those words. It was music to his ears and it made him feel loved, wanted, valued and appreciated. It made him feel whole…

With no words to say he made his way over to the other side of the table and sat on the end of the bench and hugged her tightly to his chest. Jackson who was seated next to his mother joined in the hug and in his haste let go of the melted cup of ice cream, spilling the cold watery substance all over his parents.

"Jackson!" they groaned simultaneously before bursting into laughter.

* * *

**A/N: I enjoyed writing growth for this couple. Their communication level has definitely gotten better which is a plus. So, this chapter was mostly Fitz centric. I wanted to highlight his thoughts and struggles, especially with trying to juggle work, school and family. **

**Even though they had an emotional reunion he's still not fully here for Jackie. Ha! Can't say that I blame him. Thoughts on the new Jackie and their dinner? Jackson said, "shit," she was lucky he didn't drop the F bomb. LOL**

**One word, Emily? Mmmm. What you all think of her?**

**Anyway, let me know what you thought of this chapter. **

**Until next time,**

**XOXO**

**PS: Check out my new one shot, _Crazy in Love._ **


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Standing anxiously with a piping hot cup of coffee in left hand was a half dressed Fitz, wearing only a pair of black adidas basketball shorts. To his immediate right was a comfortably dressed Olivia adorned in a simple spaghetti strap baby doll dress, sitting in front of the Dell laptop resting securely atop their dinning table; while off in the far corner of the room was a rambunctious Jackson playing with his Ironman and Hulk action figures. He too was also sparsely dressed in his Spiderman "big boy brief" as he calls it. The Grants were having another lazy Saturday, just like they liked it.

"Are you ready or not?" Olivia asked agitatedly from her seat. Fitz had asked her to check his midterm tests scores but he was acting cowardly.

Taking a steady breath, he acquiesced for the fifth time, "ready."

Olivia smiled brightly and finally clicked on the login button for the already filled out sign in section of his school's portal. She hummed silently as the page loaded.

"What does it say?" Fitz piped out, anxiously.

"It's still loading," Olivia quickly returned. "Relax, babe…" She tried to keep him calm.

Fitz let out a long breath, relaxing was the last thing he could do. He needed to do well on his tests. He couldn't afford not to. His future was riding on it. His entire livelihood was.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw Olivia's face broke into a bright smile and then frown.

Now he was really worried. "What does it say?" He asked, swiftly moving around the table to see the computer screen for himself.

"Two B's and an A," Olivia said jubilantly. At that, Fitz bent his head low and squinted his eyes at the screen. He found the grades just like she'd read.

"Woohoo!" He allowed his excitement to radiate through him in a victorious shout and fist pump. He was very elated and relieved to find out that he'd passed all of his tests. More so, the test he thought that he had done the worst in was the one he got an A for. He felt really good… so much so that he scooped Jackson into his arms and tossed him in the air much to his wife's dismay and son's squealing approval.

Wrapped up in his celebration he barely registered the scowl that was forming on his wife's face as she surveyed the chat section of the page.

"Who's Emily?" She voiced, eyes still glued on the bright screen. And that one question was enough to cease all celebrations. With his son securely back in his outstretched arms Fitz lowered him to his feet, much to his dismay.

"Daddy…" Jackson whined. 

"Just now, Jackson, go play with your toys. I have to talk to mommy," he softly responded.

With a disapproving pout he retreated to his discarded toys and resumed his animatedly playing.

Fitz walked over to Olivia's side and immediately his heart skipped a beat when he saw the long message on the computer screen. Olivia had barely registered his presence as she continued reading whatever it was on the message.

"She's a girl in my class," he finally answered her question.

"Duh…" Olivia rolled her eyes, she'd gathered that much.

Fitz decided then and there that it was a good time to spill his guts and tell her about his encounters with Emily. "I think she likes me," he began and Olivia stopped reading and turned her attention on him.

"No shi… telling Sherlock." She quickly censored herself, least a repeat of last week's dinner reoccurred with Jackson saying "shit."

"But, of course I'm not interested and I told her that much."

"I would hope so," Olivia stated, eyeing him.

Fitz ignored her looks and continued, "Last week she threw herself at me and began crying in my arms." He noted Olivia's raised eyebrows and flared nostrils but continued talking nevertheless. " I didn't know what to do so I patted her back awkwardly for a few seconds before leaving her standing there. She just won't get it, that we're not friends and _definitely_ not more. And then she sends me these messages that I don't reply to."

To say that Olivia was pissed was an understatement. She wasn't angry with Fitz, because based upon his replies she saw, he had defended her and their marriage to the fullest degree but she had a humongous problem with Emily. She couldn't stand women like her, who threw themselves at men who were already in committed relationships. She wondered what kind of person she was, but didn't take long to label her as a _home wrecker_.

With the same amount of disdain she was feeling, Olivia spat, "If this continues, you need to report her. As a matter of fact you should report her now. Get her access to your inbox revoked because this is unacceptable." Her right hand automatically covered her stomach, a reminder that she needed to remain calm for her unborn baby's sake.

"She won't want me to meet her in person." Olivia continued her rant.

Fitz was taken aback by her tone of voice and threat. _Was his Livvie turning gangsta on him?_ The thought made him smirked and in his bad fortune she saw it.

"This is not funny!" Olivia yelled a bit too loudly and startled Jackson in the process. He stopped his playing and looked at his parents for a few seconds before resuming his playing.

"It's not funny," Fitz agreed. "It's disrespectful and I'll handle it. Don't worry about her, you're the only woman for me." He said sweetly, too sweetly for her taste.

"Don't pacify me, Fitzgerald. I'm not mad at you but if you try to pacify me I will be, ok? You tell Emily the next time you see her, that your _wife…_ won't hesitate to be a 'distraction' to _her_." She quoted her message about Fitz being a distraction in class.

"I'll handle it, honey. I'm sorry. Don't let her get to you." He knew his words were futile because she had already gotten to her. He watched, as the smile she once wore was now a scowl.

"I know but I'm pissed," she replied truthfully. "I feel like slapping her," Olivia said and quickly covered her mouth at the sight of Jackson's widening eyes on them again. "No baby, mommy is just exaggerating." She quickly said to let him know that slapping wasn't an '_ok'_ thing to do even though she felt it was justifiable in her case.

Fitz held in his smirk this time, something about a feisty Liv was turning him on. It probably had to do with the fact that her anger wasn't directed at him. She looked extremely hot when angered, nostrils flared, fiery eyes and extra pouty lips – if Jackson wasn't around he would've shown her just how much she turned him on in that moment.

"I'm going to go lie down before my blood pressure goes through the roof," Olivia mumbled, pushing back her chair before gingerly rising from her seat.

"You do that, I'll hold down the fort," Fitz said, moving to stand directly in front of her. Taking his left hand he lifted it in front of her face and with his thumb began massaging the space between her knitted eyebrows. Speaking slowly and lowly in his deep baritone voice, he said, "You're the only woman for me. No one else can compare to your beauty and charm, Mrs. Grant. You're the only woman with my heart and name. They can't be compared to you, no day, no place and no time. In my eyes you're the best thing to grace this earth. Better than sliced bread, better than a cold glass bottle of coke on a hot day, better than the chocolate chip cookies you make, better than…" He trailed when he'd gotten his desired outcome. Her face burst into a radiant grin and he knew he was able to lift her spirits again.

"I love you," he spoke against her lips.

"I love you too," she repeated on his lips, just before he deepened their kiss for a few seconds before pulling apart.

He watched as she bent down and kissed their little boy on the forehead before retreating to their bedroom for some much needed rest. She'd woken up that morning and cleaned their entire apartment with minimal assistance from him, only requiring him to move the heavy furniture in her way. She was one of those people that cleaned in a certain way and was only satisfied when she did it, which was preposterous to Fitz, since he had been living with her for close to five years and knew how she liked their house to be cleaned. But to her it wasn't the same. However, he was still tasked with laundry and cooking duties which he was about to do.

* * *

Later that day in the afternoon they got dressed and headed out to Fitz' mom for an impromptu visit. On the way over they engaged in a lively conversation about everything and nothing. Most of it was Jackson rambling about the unusually big dog they'd seen earlier when Fitz and he were walking to the Laundromat, housed in the middle of the apartment complex next to the pool.

They were all seated outside on the porch watching as the day slowly turned into dusk. Olivia and Fitz sat in the loveseat porch swing while Jackson sat on his grandma's lap in her rocking chair. It was peaceful and quiet with just their occasional chatters.

Elizabeth observed her son's protective hand on his wife's baby bump and smiled. Changing the conversation from current events, which so happened to be about Caitlin Jenner, Elizabeth asked, "So, what are your housing plans when baby number two gets here?"

Fitz lets out a long breath and looked at Olivia who gave him a small smile before turning to his mother and said, "we're still working out the logistics of buying a house versus renting one."

Olivia nodded her head in agreement and continued to play with her wedding ring.

"And which one are you leaning towards more?" Elizabeth questioned.

Feeling completely comfortable in her mother in law's presence, Olivia spoke up, "That's the thing. We're stuck in the middle. On one hand we would love to get a house now, but the question is, should we wait until we have a twenty percent down payment and a higher income or go ahead with the ten percent we have? Or just rent a house and continue to save until we can fully afford it?"

Elizabeth looked thoughtfully at them, taking in their concerns before replying, "I would advise you to buy versus renting. Besides the fact of security and stability it brings, in the long run you'll end up saving. Think about the new cost you pay every time your lease is up and you sign a new one. Why not take that money and pay it towards a house that one day will be yours, rather than paying for something that will never be yours. Think about the long-term benefits of owning a home versus renting one. In the now it might seem a little better to rent but I can assure you that it's better to buy. And when the higher income comes you'll already start the process of paying off for it so you'll just continue from there."

Olivia and Fitz both nodded, seriously mulling over her words.

"That makes sense," Fitz vocalized.

"And I'm always here to help in anyway I can," Elizabeth further said.

The couple gave her a small appreciative smile and Olivia said, "Thank you."

Silence ensued as everyone was in their own thoughts. By now the sky had turned an orangish color as the sun made its way lower and lower out the sky.

"Gwama," Jackson's small voice broke their reverie. He was uncharacteristically still in his grandma's lap, soaking up her affection.

"Yes, baby?" She rubbed her fingers through his soft curls and looked down at him, his head resting on her chest. He was dressed in a red plain T-shirt with light brown cargo shorts and flip-flops that had the elastic on the back.

With his small index finger pointing to the sky, he said, "God lives way… up there."

Olivia and Fitz looked at him, his eyes fastened to the sky in fascination.

"Oh yea?" said Liz in a voice of wonderment.

"Uh huh," he nodded. "Cheezus too."

"Who?" Liz laughed lightly.

"Cheezus," he repeated confidently.

Olivia bit her lips to prevent her laughter from spilling over. It was a joy to see that her son was retaining the information he'd learned from the kids' ministry at the church.

"Say, Jee…"

"Jee…" He followed his grandma's lead.

"Zuhs…"

"Zuhs…"

"Now together, Jeezuhs…"

"Jeezuhs…" He repeated verbatim.

"Good job," she squealed, kissing his plump cheek and he laughed.

Looking at the scene in front of her tugged at Olivia's heartstrings and she playfully nudged Fitz' shoulder with hers.

"How are your parents doing, Liv?" Liz asked, her attention refocused on them.

"They're good," she replied lightheartedly.

"Oh that's good. Tell them hello for me."

"Will do."

In the distance the house phone began ringing. "I'll get it," Fitz said, standing to his feet before anyone could dispute.

When he'd retreated to the house and closed the sliding door, Elizabeth asked Olivia, "how are things with you and your mom?"

Olivia gave an exaggerated smile and answered, "better."

"That's good. I know how important a relationship with your mom is to you and I'm glad to see that things are improving between you two."

"Me too and I appreciate you for being there for me when she wasn't," Olivia returned.

Smiling lovingly, she said, "You're like a daughter to me. I told you this before but I'll say it again, I love you like my own, Olivia. What I would do for Fitzgerald I would also do for you."

"I love you too," Olivia returned, wiping the tears that gathered at the corner of her eyes.

"Mommy don't cwy," Jackson saw the tears and immediately rushed into protective mode. He pushed himself off his grandma's lap and padded over to his mother.

Olivia laughed while more tears fell from her eyes, as she observed her son's concern face in front of her. _Damn hormones_, she thought.

"Why you cwying? You sad mommy?"

She shook her head, "no baby, mommy is happy." She took his small hands in hers and squeezed them. "So happy…"

He wore a confused expression, wondering why she was crying when she was happy. Pulling a hand from his mother's grip he moved it behind his head and scratched the back of his neck while shaking his head simultaneously.

"Just like his father." Elizabeth observed his mannerism, seeing her son do the exact same thing when confused.

"Right… It's like living with a mini Fitz."

Jackson squinted his eyes at his mother knowing that she was talking about him. But it didn't deter her. "Yesterday, he saw his dad smacked my butt in passing and guess what he did?"

Elizabeth was already laughing. "What?"

"I was making a snack for us and he walked up to me and smacked my butt and said 'thanks babe'. Fitz couldn't believe it when I told him."

Elizabeth laughed harder and so did Jackson when he remembered what he did.

"You really have to be careful what you do around him," Liz said when her laughter had abated.

"I know right…" Olivia agreed.

Shortly after Fitz returned to the porch with the cordless phone in hand and handed it to his mother. She excused herself to take it while Fitz resumed his position on the love seat next to his wife.

With his hand on the back of the swing, he was up in her personal space, "Ready to go, Mrs. Grant?"

"Uh huh. Little G wants a hamburger, though."

"Really?"

"Yes," she sang, planting an affectionate kiss on his cheek.

"Me too," Jackson called from the rocking chair he climbed into post his grandmother's departure.

Fitz shook his head and smiled. When his mother returned from taking the phone call he asked her if she wanted to join them for a quick burger at the Burger Place and she agreed to go with them. They enjoyed a nice evening eating out before heading home.

* * *

The next morning Olivia got up and turned on her contemporary gospel station on Pandora and kept it on a low volume, as she got ready for church. Fitz was sleeping in like he usually did on most Sundays. As she rummaged through their shared closet space she grabbed an A-line denim skirt and white button down sleeveless shirt. She loved that she wasn't required to wear "church clothes" when going to Pastor Roy's church, as she used to at her father's Pentecostal style church. She also grabbed her multi-colored wedges from the closet before moving them over to her side of the bed. She was just about to head out to Jackson's room to find him an outfit when her husband's sleepy voice stopped her.

"Can you grab me something to wear, too?"

_Is he asking me to grab him church clothes? _Olivia thought excitedly. She was too stunned to even ask what he needed clothes for. Seizing the opportunity to grab him potential church clothes, she returned to their closet and grabbed him a pair of blue denim jeans and a short sleeved plaid shirt.

With his clothes spread out on the bed next to hers, she asked, "you're coming to church with us?"

He was a vision to behold with the sheet covering his lower half and his head propped up on a hand, he nodded his head yes. "I promised God if I passed my exams that I would go one Sunday, so I intend to keep my promise." He winked.

Olivia smiled brightly. Little did he know she was praying for him to accompany them to church but didn't pressure him, even though sometimes the urge to do so was very strong. In her recommitment walk with the Lord she was learning that love is patient and it wasn't her place to pressure him into a relationship with God. She was simply glad that he was even going to begin with and on his own accord. And the fact that he was praying to God for help made her happier. She silently thanked God for small mercies as she continued her Sunday morning ritual that she normally did to ready her and Jackson. Now, she had another person to consider and it made her a little giddier.

* * *

Fitz took in the sparse but tasteful décor of the church's lobby. He glanced around the wide expansive room filled with mostly smiling faces of all colors as they greeted each other with a friendly hug or handshake. They'd already passed the friendly greeters at the entranceway and were now heading to the security check in booth to check Jackson into kids' ministry. In the background fun, hip music was playing; it was kind of similar to the ones he heard Olivia playing on her phone. _It wasn't too bad_, he thought.

"Olivia!" The trio turned to see a tall, fair skinned woman with brown curly hair approached them with a wide grin.

"Hi, Rebecca," Olivia greeted, accepting the woman's hug. They pulled apart and Olivia introduced her to Fitz. "This is my husband, Fitz; honey, this is Rebecca, she's a volunteer at the church," Olivia relayed.

"Nice to meet you." Fitz said and they exchanged a firm handshake. So far he'd noticed that everyone they'd encountered were very friendly and a lot of them called Olivia by name and treated her as if she was a part of the team. There was a certain sincerity to it and no pretense. Even when they carried Jackson to his classroom he noticed his son immediately releasing their hands and running towards his friends. It was good to see that they both had a place that they were happy and thriving in. For the first time he was experiencing what the two did on Sundays. And if he was being a bit honest he was kind of jealous of their Sundays' time together, even though he opted out of it by choice. At the end of the day, he simply wanted to spend more time with them, always…

If the exterior of the church didn't impress him already the interior would've done the job. With the lighting set on dim, he was able to appreciate the intimacy of the room. On stage he noticed that it wasn't overcrowded with people, as a matter of fact they were only a drummer, a pianist, and two guitarists – one on bass and the other acoustic and a total of three singers. By the time the usher had led them to two end seats in the middle row they were already halfway through the first song.

For the next fifteen minutes he observed his wife losing herself in worship, her hands lifted high as she sang along to the songs, only periodically glancing at the screen that projected the lyrics; but for the most part her eyes were closed and she was in her own world. The blissful, peaceful look on her face took his breath away.

When the last song had sung and they were praying, her small hand met his and his grip tightened around hers. For some reason the act constricted his heart and made him breathe a little shallower. Sometimes he couldn't help how his body reacted to her unbridled love.

A few announcements were said and then Pastor Roy was introduced. He delivered a great sermon about forgiveness. He said something that resonated with Fitz, _"you have to make forgiveness for the apologies you never received."_ That one line spoke to him deeply, as it was something he needed to do in his own life. Not only to forgive those that hurt him and apologized but also, the people who hurt him and failed to acknowledge it. Towards the end of the service they made the obligatory altar call and two persons responded to give their lives to Jesus.

Fitz was startled at the loud applauds when the two persons made the decision. He chuckled lowly after realizing that his wife was a part of the loud gang.

At the end of the service Fitz felt uplifted, he enjoyed the simplistic laid back teaching and atmosphere. For some strange reason he felt closer to Olivia in a spiritual kind of way, which didn't make any sense to him. He didn't know if it was due to them sharing something in this capacity for the first time or something else. Whatever it was, he sort of liked it. He liked the idea of spending time with her in this setting. She was a joy to be around and seeing her that way made his heart glad.

As they made their way out of the sanctuary they held hands as they said hi to the other churchgoers along the way. On their way to checkout Jackson a jubilant Pastor Roy stopped them.

"Olivia it's so good to see you and you too, Fitz." He smiled widely at them.

Fitz was surprised that he'd remember his name from counseling.

"Likewise," he smiled, proffering his right hand for him to shake.

"How did you enjoy the service?" The older man asked.

"Good, good," Fitz answered and Olivia jumped in, "great word."

They spoke for a few minutes before Pastor Roy wished them a good week and specifically told Fitz, "He hopes to see him next week." Fitz only smiled. When they'd picked up Jackson he produced a colored picture of Jonah and the whale. He did a great job albeit there were a lot of scratches outside the lines.

"You had a great time, bud?" Fitz asked, Jackson nestled in his arms as they made their way to the parking lot.

"Yes, daddy. I color and sing," he answered.

"What did you sing?" Olivia asked, keeping up her strides with Fitz.

"Cheezus loves me."

Fitz and Olivia laughed lightly. Even though his speech was improving and he was now calling them "mommy and daddy" there were still moments like this when his pronunciations fell off and it was funny. _Why did he have to grow up? _They both thought.

They continued with their animated conversation all the way to the car.

* * *

On a whim they decided to eat lunch at a local Mexican restaurant that was located a block away from the church. When they arrived a friendly hostess walked them to their table before she took their drink orders and promised that their server will bring it to them.

"So… did you enjoy the service?" Olivia asked, wanting to know his true thoughts. She was sitting opposite him at the end of the booth while Jackson sat in a high chair on the inside.

"It was good. I liked it," he said honestly.

"That's good to hear," she smiled widely. She was walking on cloud nine. For him to even accompany her and Jackson was a huge blessing. She felt grateful.

Fitz nodded. "I was surprised that the pastor remembers my name."

"He's pretty good with names and faces. The first time I went there he remembered my name too. He always asks about you, by the way."

"Is that so?" Fitz mumbled. "What about?"

"Nothing much, just how you're doing and stuffs like that."

"Oh…"

"Hi, my name is Emily, I'll be your server today," the blonde woman interrupted, her eyes glued on the two glasses of mango tea and one sippy cup of apple juice, as she carefully placed them on the tabletop. When she finally looked up to view her guests she almost dropped dead.

An awkward silence ensued from the server and Olivia wondered why she was giving them a deer in headlight stare but then she looked at Fitz and saw that he wore a surprised expression on his face. _Mmm…_

"What… what can I get you today?" She stuttered, flipping the cover of her small notepad.

Ignoring her awkwardness Olivia said, "I'll have the chipotle Mexican bowl with steak well-done, a children's chicken tacos minus the guac and you honey?" She looked up at Fitz when she'd finished placing Jackson and her orders.

The look of surprise gone from his face as he relayed his order, "the fajitas platter, please."

"I'll be right back with some chips and salsa," the server said before scurrying away.

"She's a weird one," Olivia noted as she took a sip of her drink.

Fitz squinted his eyes at his wife, surprised that her BS radar hadn't picked up whom their server really was. Well she couldn't possibly know since she didn't know what she looked like.

In a low tone, he said, "that's Emily from class."

"What!" Olivia exclaimed and covered her mouth quickly.

"Mommy you're loud," Jackson said, pointing his index finger at her.

"Sorry, baby," she whispered.

"That's why she's behaving weird. If I had known she works here I wouldn't have come. Do you want to leave?"

Olivia looked at her husband and shook her head no. She wasn't going to leave because his admirer or whatever to call her worked there. As a matter of fact, she saw it as a blessing to finally meet the Emily who had been sending her husband unsolicited messages.

"No, we're already here so let's make the best of it." Olivia smiled cunningly.

They continued to chatter lightly and when Emily had returned with the basket of chips and bowl of salsa, Olivia made a deliberate move to call Fitz baby. She internally chuckled, as Emily couldn't look her in the eye. She was too embarrassed and Olivia planned to make her feel as uncomfortable as possible during her stay.

Throughout their entire meal it wasn't lost on Fitz the extra attention his wife lavage on him, not that it bothered him one bit. He soaked it up like a sponge.

When Emily was clearing their plates, Olivia said, "This baby is going to like Mexican food a lot," while touching her baby bump. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Emily took a quick glance at her stomach. Again she internally chuckled. She didn't care that she was behaving petty; she was simply getting her point across – that her man was taken.

"Is this going to be two or one check?" Emily asked.

That got under Olivia's skin, of course it would be one check but she saw it as a dig to her and Fitz.

Fitz sensing that his wife was no longer playing games, answered, "One."

"Ok, I'll be right back." Emily smiled before walking away from the table.

Olivia rolled her eyes.

Fitz said, "I'm going to the restroom. JT you need to go, bud?"

"Yes, daddy."

Olivia got up and let Jackson out of his highchair before retaking her seat. With the boys gone she was the only one at the table when Emily returned with their check, which she was quickly going to leave on the table but stopped at Olivia's voice.

"I know who you are and the games you're trying to play. It stops now," Olivia's face was hard as stone as she spoke to her in a low deathly tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Emily spoke innocently.

"Stop…" Olivia hissed. "Don't play coy because you won't want me to embarrass you at your place of employment, so heed my cryptic warning. Stop it now. He's not the one and I'm not the one to play with." Olivia wasn't going to allow her to disrespect her anymore and if she wasn't going to listen to Fitz when he spoke then she would make her voice heard.

"Ok," Emily gulped before walking away from the table yet again, her cheeks red and face flushed.

From the table across, Olivia's eyes made contact with an Old Spanish woman and she winked at her, probably having overhead her conversation with Emily since their table was closest to each other.

By the time the boys had reached back Olivia had already packed up their belongings in her large leather tote and was signing the receipt.

"Ready to go?" She asked before they had the opportunity to sit down.

"I am," Fitz answered and they left.

* * *

In the car Fitz asked, "What happened when I left?"

"What you mean what happened?" Olivia chuckled lightly while avoiding his gaze.

He squinted his eyes at her and smiled. He knew she would've said something to her. "I know you, what did you say to her?" Many people didn't know it but Olivia possessed a strong jealous side. The first time he'd seen it was when his estranged "friend" Savannah greeted him with a kiss on the neck a few years back. Never would he imagine that the normally, quiet and put together Olivia Pope would lose her cool but she did.

"I just told her I know who she is and the games she's playing needs to stop." She said sheepishly.

"Hmm… that's it? No, I'll slap you and dig your eyes out?"

Olivia was about to chastise him about his violent language but noticed that Jackson had fallen asleep in the backseat.

"Who? Me? I'll never fight over a man," she replied with a smirk.

"What? You won't fight for me?"

"Why?" she asked.

"Because you love me, duh…" Fitz said, gesturing to her with his right hand while his left kept on the steering wheel.

Olivia laughed, "It all depends. I would avoid it because I'm a classy lady," she batted her eyelashes, "but… when push comes to shove, who knows, eh?"

Fitz shook his head and laughed. Grabbing her hand in his, he brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it. "You have nothing to worry about."

* * *

Later that night when it was just the two of them, they sat on the couch snuggled together with their joint account displayed on the laptop, discussing their finances.

"I know we talked about not selling the hulk but I can sell it and buy a motorcycle and we'll use the car for when we go out as a family. It'll be cheaper insurance and maintenance," Fitz said.

"No… I don't want you riding a motorbike. That's too dangerous." Olivia shook her head.

Fitz chuckled, "Ok, that idea is shutdown. Well, I can always get a second job to help offset the costs."

"Fitz, you already have a second job, _school_. You don't need that extra stress on your plate; it's not that we're desperately lacking we'll just be cutting it really close if we buy a house. If only we had a bigger deposit we would be able to get a lower monthly payment that could possibly be half the rent we currently pay, which would be great…"

"Mmm. Maybe I can borrow some money from my dad…" Fitz trailed, hating the idea of it.

"Meh…" Olivia said, also hating the idea.

"Let's meet with our realtor and see what options we have," she sighed.

"Ok, don't stress about it. We'll figure this out." He kissed her naked shoulder.

"I know we will."

They continued discussing their future plans and Olivia being the organized person she was kept a record of what they'd discussed. That night they'd decided that they were going to go forward with buying a house.

* * *

It was a Wednesday afternoon and Olivia was leaving work when her father called her to meet him downtown. On her way to meet him she called her mother in law to tell her she would be a little late to pick up Jackson, which was fine with her. When she pulled up to the coffee shop that he said he was at she parked her car and climbed out of it. They hugged upon greeting and he asked her if she needed anything to drink but she declined. She took a seat in the comfortable chair across from him. The café was quaint and not overcrowded with people; it probably had to do with the time of day. She noticed her dad's bible and notepad on the small round table and immediately thought that he was probably doing his devotional. Sometimes he liked to read in coffee shops.

They asked each other about their day and chatted for a while. Olivia was curious to know why he'd randomly asked her to meet him downtown but she kept in her question. It was always nice to spend time with him.

"You're probably wondering why I asked you to come here," she laughed at his ability to read her thoughts.

"I am. What's up, dad?"

She watched as he removed an envelope from between his bible and produced it to her. "For you."

She hesitantly collected the envelope from him and regarded him with suspicious eyes but his face was blank, revealing nothing. Slowly opening the envelope she pulled out the single sheet of paper and gasped.

Pay Date: 5/27/15.

To The

Order of _Olivia Grant_ $10, 000.00

_Ten thousand _ dollars

FOR _Wedding Gift __ John &amp; Jaclyn Pope_

Olivia stared at the check, blinking for several seconds. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Dad..." she spoke in disbelief when she found her voice.

"Your mom and I want to give you this as a wedding present since we didn't get you anything. This was actually a savings we had to contribute to your wedding but since you went a different route we would like to give you the money instead."

Olivia covered her mouth to stop the tears from sounding. She couldn't believe it, ten thousand dollars, the amount of money they needed to bring up their savings to a 20% down payment fell into her lap. She was overjoyed and began crying.

"Thank you, thank you," she muttered through her tears. She held onto her father's slightly work callous hands and squeezed them. "You don't know how much I appreciate this."

"I'm just doing my job as your parent, we both are."

"And I appreciate it so much." She went in to tell him that she and Fitz were in the process of buying a house and how much their gift would help in making it a reality.

"You have no idea how happy you made me," she said again, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Her father smiled brightly at her but said nothing, glad that he could make her happy.

When she was able to compose herself, she said, "I'm sorry that I didn't have the wedding you and mom were probably hoping for."

"I know your mom was disappointed and as much as I would've loved to walk you down the aisle, I know that life doesn't always turn out the way we want it. And besides, God knew that you needed the money for a house rather than to spend it on an event. What's done has already been done and we can only move forward from here."

Olivia marveled at the strength, humility and wisdom her father possessed. He was the most loving, kind and understanding person she'd ever met.

"I love you, daddy," she spoke sincerely.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed this update. Let me know what your thoughts are. I appreciate your reviews as they keep me motivated. Thank you.**

**Until next time,**

**XOXO**


	16. Chapter 16

After leaving her father at the coffee shop an hour ago, Olivia collected her son from her mother in law before heading home to their apartment. She was walking on cloud nine and nothing could change that. With a pep in her step and newfound joy she prepared a light afternoon snack for her and Jackson after changing out of her work clothes, replacing it with something more comfortable. The two retired to the living room to watch Jackson's favorite show, Chugginton on Netflix. As they snacked on the cheese and cracker platter she engaged her son with conversations about his day. He told her in his own words that Nana Liz had him learning how to count and spell his name. Olivia was impressed that he'd gotten most of the letters right in his name this time. Only forgetting the _k_ and replacing the _o_ with _a_. So it was mostly spelt as J-a-c-s-a-n instead of J-a-c-_k_-s-_o_-n. Nevertheless, he was well advance for a two year old and she liked to keep it that way.

"Mommy!" Jackson exclaimed.

She felt tiny fingers on her cheeks before they moved to her eyes, startling her out of her short slumber. She hadn't realized how tired she was when her eyes went heavy thirty minutes into watching the cartoon.

"Hey, Baby. What's up?" She asked, wiping the drool gathered at the corner of her mouth.

"It stop playing," he pouted, pointing his chubby index finger at the screen. Olivia looked up at the television and saw that it'd indeed stopped playing. Netflix's infamous; "Are you still watching?" message was displayed on the screen. She realized then that she'd been sleeping for a little while, since the message came on around the third or fourth episode. The timing was confirmed when she looked at her watch, two hours had passed. Shit… _She had to get up and get dinner started and ready Jackson for bed. _She mentally panicked.

In a soft voice she said, "Baby, you'll watch some more tomorrow." She swung her legs to the side of the couch and slowly sat up while speaking to him.

"No!" Jackson pouted, folding his little arms across his chest. "I want to watch now!"

"Jackson…" Olivia said in a warning tone, letting him know that she wasn't going to take his attitude.

He shook his head defiantly while starting to make engines sounds, signaling an onset of tears to come.

"Jackson Thomas Grant, don't you dare start crying. You had enough TV for one day," Olivia chastised in a stern voice. Her words were futile because he burst into loud wails.

"Come to me," she beckoned with her hands since he'd retreated a foot away from the couch. She watched his teary eyes and quivering bottom lip, he was so darn cute even when he was acting miserable.

Reluctantly, he dragged his feet towards her while rubbing his teary eyes as he continued to cry. He wasn't pleased with her at the moment, not at all.

"I know you're upset with mommy but mommy do not want you watching too much TV," she relayed when he was standing in front of her.

"Why?" He cried somberly.

"Because too much of anything isn't good."

"Mommy, pease…" His scowl deepened as he continued crying.

Olivia took a giant sigh, wondering whether to cave in and allow him to watch one more episode, or further deny his request and left him to stew. If Fitz was present he would've definitely left him to stew, but she chose the former and allowed him to watch one more episode just because she couldn't deal with his tantrum at the moment. While he watched his show, she took that opportunity to retire to the kitchen and start a simple dinner of stir-fry vegetables and chicken with a side of brown rice.

After the one episode had finished, Olivia returned to the room and turned off the TV. This time he didn't give her an attitude. Instead, he followed her excitedly into the kitchen when she told him she was preparing dinner and that he can help.

Olivia was smiling widely while stirring the vegetables and chicken in the skillet on the stovetop, as she thought of ways to tell Fitz the good news. She was sure of one thing, she wasn't going to tell him over the phone but wait until he got home. She silently prayed that he would take it in good strides and put aside his pride because this was a huge blessing for their family. Meanwhile, Jackson was making engine sounds with his mouth while playing with his toy car on the floor next to the dining table.

Olivia was straining the brown rice when she heard her cellphone ringing from the other room and said, "JT, please bring mommy's phone. It's on the coffee table."

"Otay!" Jackson quickly got up from his crouched position on the floor and ran towards the living room. From the kitchen Olivia could hear him answering the phone although she hadn't told him to do so. Sometimes he was too tech savvy for her.

"It's daddy!" Jackson beamed, as he returned to the room, holding the phone to his ear with both hands. Olivia smiled as she listened to his end of the conversation. She guessed Fitz was asking him about his day and if he was being a good boy based off of his answers.

"Look mommy, daddy wants to talk to you!" Jackson thrust the phone forward a minute later.

Olivia collected the phone and said, "thank you," before holding it up to her right ear.

"Hey, honey," she answered with a small smile on her lips.

"Hey, Livvie. How are you?"

"I'm good. Really good…" She beamed, already bursting at the seams to spill the good news, but she refrained from doing so.

"Hmm… that sounds promising," Fitz teased.

Olivia shook her head and smirked at him through the phone. "So, how are you? Are you on your lunch break?"

"Yup. Just clocked out for lunch and decided to give my favorite people a call, see what you all were up to."

"Well, your son and I are supposed to be cooking but I'm doing all the work and he's playing on the floor," Olivia feigned disapproval. "And little Grant is chilling." She touched her baby bump.

His rich, deep laughter caused her heart to go pitter-patter.

"Tell that son of mine, if he doesn't put in work then he cannot eat."

"Then you can't eat either," Olivia jested.

Fitz' voice got low when he said, "Oh… but I do put in work. Tonight I'll show you how much work I actually put in, wait up for me and see."

Goosebumps formed on her skin from his seductive tone. How can he get her so riled up with only few words?

Clearing her throat, she returned salaciously, "I'll wait up, Mr. Grant."

"Good," he said with finality. "Now, what's on the menu for dinner?"

"Uh... Stir-fry veggies and chicken with brown rice."

"Yum… Sounds like I'll be having two delicious meals when I get home."

Olivia laughed out loud and Jackson stopped what he was doing to give her a wide smile. Clearly affected by his mother's infectious giggles but completely unaware of what elicited them.

"I hear you babe. Hopefully, they'll both be satisfying to your palate," she teased.

"That's a guarantee. Especially the one I've been eating for years," he seduced.

Olivia's mouth fell open in both shock and arousal.

"Fitz…"

"Livvie…"

"You're shameless, you know that?"

"I know that," Fitz answered unashamedly and she could hear the pride in his voice. But, before she could reply to him the doorbell sounded.

"Someone's at the door, babe. Let me go see who is there," she said more to herself than to him, and he replied with an ok while he waited for her on the line. Turning the stove down low, Olivia made the trek to the front door to see who it was and saw that it was Abby through the peephole.

"It's Abby. We'll talk later, honey. See you when you get home. I love you."

"I love you too. And I'm serious, Livvie, wait up for me. Or else I'm gonna wake you up."

Olivia chuckled and said, "Ok, ok, I'll wait up for you. Don't worry about it."

"Good. See you in five hours."

"See you later, hon." Olivia was the first to end the phone call and swung the door wide open for her best friend.

"Hey stranger!" She said in greeting, moving out the way so that Abby can enter the apartment.

"Hey shorty!" Abby said, moving into the apartment. "Something smells good. Smells like I came the right time."

Olivia laughed and embraced Abby in a short hug; at the same time Jackson came barreling into the room at the speed of light to greet her.

"Slow down there, Thomas," Abby said to her godson.

"Aunty Abby!" He squealed, gleeful, stretching his chubby hands up to her. She quickly complied and bent down to pick him up and immediately, began assaulting his cheeks with kisses.

"Let's move this to the kitchen. Baby Grant is starved," Olivia said, patting her stomach.

"I second that motion," Abby quipped and followed her best friend to the kitchen. Five minutes later, Olivia plated their foods before moving them over to the small dining table. She poured a glass of water for herself, a sippy cup of juice for Jackson and the last remaining red wine for Abby. They dug in together after grace. Olivia was relieved that Jackson found the food tasty, as he hadn't complained about the vegetables. They were trying to incorporate a wider range of vegetables into his diet aside from the basic ones.

"So, what's new, Abs?"

Abby didn't answer immediately; she waited until she'd finished chewing to speak. "I'm looking into getting a promotion as the department head coming new school year."

Olivia put her fork down and said, "that's amazing, Abs! I hope you get it."

"Me too, I should know before school goes out for summer. Pray for me," Abby finished with a smile.

"You know I will. So proud of you, girl." Olivia reached across the table and gave her arm a quick squeeze.

"Thanks, short stuff."

"When are you going to cut it out with all the short anecdotes?" Olivia playfully rolled her eyes.

"Never…" Abby laughed.

"Whatever, Abs… So, what's new in your personal life? Any potentials as of late?"

And just like that Olivia spent the next hour laughing heartily at her friend's not so candid description of her loveless love life while at the same time entertaining Jackson. Since Abby was over she agreed to give her godson his bath and read him a bedtime story at his earnest pleads.

* * *

Fitz got home fifteen minutes after eleven and to his dismay Olivia was already snuggled up sleeping in their bed. He shook his head and smiled knowing that she probably couldn't help herself. However, he was serious when he said that he was going to wake her up. So after eating the plate of food she'd left him in the refrigerator and taking a shower, he retired to bed in only a fresh pair of boxers. A contented sigh of relief escaped his lips when his head touched the soft pillow, feeling blissful. Immediately, he wrapped an arm around Olivia's waist and brought her close to him. She mumbled something incoherently as she moved to get comfortable in his arms. Fitz chuckled when one of her hands almost smacked him in the face. She was wild like that when sleeping.

With her face now practically a few inches away from his he began stroking it with the back of his palm.

"Livvie…" he whispered gently, trying to coax her out of her sleep but it wasn't working. It seemed like she was enjoying the additional comfort of his touch and baritone voice as it aided her to sleep deeper. So, he decided to up the ante and began placing small kisses on her neck, paying special emphasis on the spot behind her left ear. That did the trick and her eyes started fluttering open immediately.

With a sheepish grin on his face, he said, "hi," when her eyes were fully open and focused on him.

Olivia squinted at him before breaking into a bright smile. "Hi," she returned.

"I told you to wait up," he pouted, moving to give her a soft chaste kiss on the lips.

"I was but then I fell asleep," she puppy faced. "Forgive me?"

"You have to work for my forgiveness," Fitz rebutted, smirking.

Olivia moved her arms so that she could push her upper body across his chest. "What do I have to do?" She asked salaciously.

Fitz grinned and moved his hand down her back and allowed it to settle on her ass.

"Follow my lead," he said before fusing their lips together in a passionate kiss. It didn't take long for his tongue to seek entrance into her mouth and properly savoring her taste. They kept up with their tongue duel and only pulled apart when air was an absolute necessity.

With panting breaths Olivia rolled off of him and onto her back on the soft mattress. She was wanton with need and lust.

Fitz got up from his spot and moved between her legs, settling himself on his elbows. "Now, I'm going to eat my dessert."

Olivia giggled when his five o' c lock shadow grazed the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs, effectively tickling her. In cooperation she opened her legs to accommodate his broad shoulders while breathing a sigh of contentment when his soft lips began making small kisses on her inner thighs. Her arousal was potent as he made his way closer and closer to her pulsing center.

A minute or two of small inner thigh kisses ended with his nose nuzzled into her sodden underwear. Desire coursing through her veins made her hiss aloud. The games had changed levels. Olivia moved her hands from lying limply on the bed to her sensitive breasts, and began fondling with them to push her body towards the anticipated peak.

Fitz removed her satin underwear and discarded it haphazardly onto the bed with his teeth, making her almost cum from the act alone. He then grabbed ahold of the hem of her matching satin nightgown and pushed it upwards. Olivia released her breasts and pulled up the nightgown the rest of the way and tossed it carelessly onto the bed. Now that she was fully naked she sat up on her elbows looking into his stormy gray eyes. The moment was so intimate with him lying on his belly between her legs, fully taking in her body while she looked down at him. Her eyes were so full of love and desire. She wanted him. She always wanted him. And now that they were married she was able to have him without any lingering presence of guilt or worry in the aftershock. It was an incredible feeling to come together as husband and wife without any onus.

"Make love to me, husband," she whispered at last.

Fitz wasted no time burying his face between her thighs, already eliciting moans and peals out of her pouty lips. At first he lapped lazy circles around her outer lips, creating a delicious sensation that caused tingles in her fingertips and toes. Then he began nibbling on her inner lips, which resulted in her closing her legs around his head but he held them apart with his powerful hands. By then she could already feel the warmth spreading across her lower belly, an introduction to her impending orgasm. And finally when his lips captured her love button she lost all semblance of thought when her body stiffened with the arrival of her orgasm. She began babbling his name incessantly while her essence flowed bountifully. Hungrily, his tongue lapped up her juices.

With no time given to recover, Fitz moved up her body and recaptured her mouth in a steamy kiss, feeding her a taste of her sweet juices. Before the quiver in her quim had ended her arousal for him was renewed.

In one swift motion he removed his boxer, baring his erect penis and began stroking himself – spreading the precum on the tip.

As he continued to drink from her sweet lips, he aligned his penis with her dripping core and impaled her in one fluid motion, filling her to the hilt.

Olivia moaned at the complete feeling of being one with her husband. It was so satisfying and beautiful. It was an experience she couldn't properly put into words.

"I love you so much," he whispered in her ears as he began to move slowly inside of her.

"I…I love you too," she panted back, matching his rhythm.

The lovers gyrated their hips in slow, deliberate circles, savoring the feel of each other. It was magical the way she called his name or shivered in his arms each time his rigid, thick member connected with her G-spot. It was blissful the way her walls contracted around his length, making him feel like he was in heaven. And he was… Livvie was his heaven.

* * *

They lay completely and utterly spent, bodies buzzing in the aftermath of their lovemaking, and not a single coherent thought could be conjured.

"That was amazing," Fitz breathed, tracing Olivia's arm with his fingertips. He always felt better when they were intimate like this. It was one of his ways of expressing his outmost love for his wife. He worshipped her body and to him that conveyed how deep his feelings for her was.

"It was," Olivia agreed contentedly. She didn't care that she'd just lost an hour of her sleep and had to work in the morning. It was well worth it, as she was overjoyed that she was able to cater to _ALL_ of her husband's needs.

They lay in contended silence, only the sounds of their breathing could be heard.

"Oh… I have some great news to tell you, babe." Olivia voiced about five minutes later.

"Is that so?" Fitz asked, leaning up to kiss her forehead.

"Yep." She situated herself so that she could properly face him before beginning. "This afternoon after work I received a call from my dad to meet him at the Sun Shoppe Cafe and I went. We chit-chatted a bit before he produced me with a check for ten thousand dollars." She finished excitedly, wanting to get to that part ever since she started the story.

"Wha…what?" Fitz asked in disbelief and confusion.

"I was shocked too, but it is legitimate." Olivia eased away from him with the sheet wrapped around her naked body and turned to her nightstand where she quickly retrieved the check from the top drawer. She handed the check over to Fitz and watched as his eyes widen with surprise.

"They gave this to you without you asking?" He questioned, still perusing the check.

"They did. My dad said they were saving it for my wedding but since we got married the way we did, they wanted us to have it. Isn't that great? Now we can put it towards the house."

"Wow." Fitz was shocked, pleasantly so.

Olivia chuckled at the way he looked at the check and back to her. Over and over he did this.

"I don't know what to say. I'm clearly shocked but in a good way. Wow…" Fitz' eyes were still wide.

"It's truly a miracle."

Fitz nodded in agreement.

"God always shows up on time."

He nodded his agreement again.

"I'm just so happy," Olivia confessed genuinely. Fitz squeezed her hand in his and gave her a warm smile.

Silence fell for a few minutes as they think about what all this meant.

"We're really buying a house?" Fitz asked with brand-new happiness in his voice.

"We really are," Olivia answered, smiling equally as bright as him.

* * *

The following Monday, Fitz and Olivia were walking into the doctor's office for her 20 weeks checkup. The receptionist greeted them and led them into one of the examining rooms. Nurse Rose took Olivia's weight, vitals and then asked her to urinate in a cup before setting up the ultrasound machine. She then instructed her to lie on the narrow bed and wait for Dr. Denise to arrive. They were there for a total of fifteen minutes before Dr. Denise Moses entered into the room.

"Good morning," she greeted them warmly. "How are you doing today?"

"We're great," Olivia answered for the both of them. And they were indeed fine, better than ever before, actually... The duo was in a good place emotionally, financially, spiritually and physically. For once in their young lives things were bright and hopeful.

"Great. So far your vitals are good, and your weight gain is within the normal range. Are you having any difficulties that you want to discuss?" Dr. Denise asked after looking over her patient chart.

Olivia took a few seconds to think about her question before answering, "Nothing out of the usual. The occasional morning sickness but that eased a bit since coming over into the second trimester."

"Wonderful," Dr. Denise clasped her hands and then went into telling them what they were going to be doing today, an ultrasound with the possibility of finding out the sex of the baby.

Fitz was sitting on the single chair next to the bed, holding onto Liv's hand and giving it a little squeeze when the sound of their baby's heartbeat was sounded throughout the room. It was an enchanting moment listening to the life they'd created in love when times were tough between them.

"Ready to know the sex?" Dr. Denise asked, smiling. She was such a cheerful woman and it made her patients stay at ease.

"Yes," they answered in unison.

"Congratulations, it's a girl!" She beamed.

Fitz looked at his wife with tears swimming in his eyes. They were having a baby girl, a daughter; it was incredible. Without even thinking twice, Fitz placed his palm on Olivia's belly after the gel was cleaned up and brought his mouth close to it. He whispered, "Hi Jazzy-Blue, mommy and daddy loves you." Olivia was too choked up to even speak so she settled for a teary smile.

Everything was going to be all right.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, they left the doctor's office and got into Olivia's car. Fitz was driving her to school since he was taking her car for an oil change and tune up. He was free that morning because classes were cancelled for the day, something to do with a teachers' seminar they were hosting. His plan was to drop her off, head to Toyota servicing station and then pick up Jackson from his mother. She was graciously keeping him while they went to the doctor's appointment.

If anyone could see them they would all be immediately able to tell that the second time parents were on cloud nine. They'd already gotten their boy and were now getting their girl. That was exciting news!

"I'm so excited for my daughter," Olivia squealed, palming her belly. "We'll dress alike and I know she'll have the most gorgeous hair for me to comb. It's going to be great." She was already daydreaming about how Jasmine would look and she hadn't even been born.

"And I'll buy a gun on the day she's born to chase off boys," Fitz grumbled.

"Stop behaving so chauvinistic."

"I'm not, I'm being real. Because if she looks anything like her mother then I'm in serious problem."

Olivia laughed heartily at the distress look his face took on.

"Relax babe, you'll have at least fifteen to eighteen years of no worries."

"I doubt that."

Their good banter was broken when Fitz' cellphone started ringing and he tapped on the Bluetooth button on the steering wheel to connect the call.

"Hey mom," he answered as he'd seen her name displayed on the screen.

"Fitz!" Her alarmed tone and Jackson loud cries caused Olivia and Fitz to immediately panic.

"What's wrong?" Fitz instantly asked.

"Jackson fell off the chair and hit his head on the floor, I'm taking him to the hospital right now. Meet me at Tampa Health First hospital."

"How bad is it?" Fitz and Olivia asked at the same time.

Elizabeth's voice was frazzled as she answered, "He was jumping on the couch but before I could tell him to stop he flicked over and landed on the tile floor and hit his forehead. It's bleeding but I wrapped it with a bandage."

"Oh God," Olivia stressed, holding onto her heart. Her baby was hurt and she needed to go see him.

"How far away from the hospital are you?" Fitz asked, trying to figure out if they should call an ambulance if they were too far out.

"I'm pulling into the hospital now. Call me when you get here."

"Ok mom. Take care of our baby, we're coming." Fitz said before hanging up.

He looked across at Olivia who was already calling her school to report she had an emergency and that she might not show up for work. She had to go see about her child before she could teach other people's children.

Both of their hearts were beating as Fitz made a U-turn at the light to head in the opposite direction from which they were going. They truly hoped that it wasn't too bad of an accident.

* * *

**AN: It's been a long time but I had to drop in and give you an update. Currently on a hiatus but I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Fitz handled the money situation ok; hopefully he really is ok? Next chapter we'll delve into more of that. He and Liv had cute fluffy moments in this chapter, the phone call and him waking her up for some grown folks business ;). Sometimes I feel like I'm losing my touch to write smut because it is truly awkward to do so but I persevere. LOL. And now poor little baby throwing tantrums Jackson is hurt. :/ Don't forget to leave reviews, really and truly appreciate them.**

**Until next time,**

**XOXO**


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: Woo… been toiling away at this chapter since after work this afternoon. It's been a while since I deliver some goods for this story so I'm making it up to you. Hope everyone is doing well and I hope you enjoy this new installment. **

***We pick up right where we left off from last chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

By the time Olivia and Fitz arrived at the hospital Jackson was already being seen by a physician. After telling the front desk personnel that they were his parents they ushered them into the examining room Jackson was in. They came upon the scene of a whimpering Jackson enveloped in his grandmother's arms, sitting on her lap while the doctor examined him. At their entrance everyone looked up towards them.

"Momma," Jackson called in a small voice when his eyes landed on her first and then his father.

"Hey baby," Olivia cooed in a small voice as well, walking over to them, joining forces with her mother in law to be of comfort to him and Fitz followed after. The parents tried to stay out of the doctor's way as he continued inspecting the sizable bump on his forehead that also held a small cut that had stopped bleeding.

Clearing his throat, Fitz addressed the doctor, "is he ok?"

"Ahh… this little man? He's going to be up and bouncing around before you know it. We examined him for a concussion and so far so good, he doesn't have one. However, we're gonna have to stitch him up. About four stitches." Olivia's audible gasp interrupted the doctor.

"Don't worry, mom, we'll make sure to numb the area." He cast her a reassuring smile.

"Thank you." Olivia smiled a bit relieved.

* * *

After Jackson received his four stitches and a lollipop he was in relatively good mood as Olivia filled out the paperwork with their health insurance information in the reception area. Since she had the better job, Jackson was on her health insurance plan. As they sat doing the paperwork Elizabeth was apologizing for not being more attentive to her grandson. She was even blaming herself for his injury, but both Olivia and Fitz reassured her it wasn't her fault and that they didn't blame her for it. After all, accidents happened and they knew how rambunctious their son could get when playing.

When the paperwork was finished and Jackson was discharged with clear instructions to watch for dizziness, headache and vomiting, they left, also with a prescription for mild child friendly painkiller.

In the parking lot they transferred Jackson's car seat from Elizabeth's Nissan Murano to their Corolla. After hugs and well wishes were spoken, Elizabeth climbed into her car and left. The remaining party did the same and headed towards home.

When they got home they ensured the outmost comfort for their son as they cared for him. Jackson was soaking up the attention lavished upon him by both of his parents. He'd even reverted into playing a baby, clinging onto them and refusing to be put down. They conclude that it had to do with his accident and the need to feel protected, so they encouraged his behavior for the moment. Fitz had also taken it upon himself to call out from work to be there for him and to help Olivia out. The three of them spent the rest of the day lounging inside, resting.

* * *

_Two Weeks Later _

Olivia was in the living room fussing with a faux fur throw draped across the back of the couch, an attempt to dress up the room when she heard Fitz' voice booming.

"Livvie," Fitz' alarming plea broke her fixings when he entered into the room in just a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Yes," she answered absentmindedly, now wiping imaginary lint from her white sundress.

"Something is in my eyes," he whined, holding onto his left eye while walking over to her in quick strides.

"Bend down, let me see," she commanded. He did as he was told and not so gently dropped to his knees. "Open your eyes," she requested, as his fluttering eyelids were staying shut when she attempted pulling them apart. "What do you think is inside of it?" she asked, continuing to pry his left eye open.

"I'm not sure, one minute I was washing my face and then I felt something sticking me in the eyeball."

Eventually, she pried his eyes open and found that it was an eyelash that was causing him discomfort at the top of his eyeball. She quickly grabbed it with a fingertip.

Relieved, Fitz said, "thank you," as he rose to stand on his feet.

"No problem. Go get dress before people start coming. Won't want them to have a heart attack," she teased.

Fitz smirked, "I won't mind giving Jackie one."

Olivia smacked his arm. "Hey!" He laughed and bent down to gave her a peck but she sidestepped him.

"Go get ready, Fitz! People will start coming in the next 10 minutes. I'm gonna go wake Jackson in the meantime." He'd had the time of his life playing outside with the neighbor's five-year-old kid.

He grunted, "fine…" before sauntering off. It was no secret that he wasn't a big fan of tonight's shindig. After finding out the gender of their baby Olivia wanted to invite family and close friends over for a gender reveal party, a nice way of bringing everyone together for a while.

* * *

By 7 PM, the evening was in full swing. In attendance were: Olivia's parents, Fitz' mom - his dad and family couldn't make it, Abby, Quinn, Stephen and Harrison. Jackson was the life of the party as he lively and animatedly regaled tales of his favorite TV shows, mostly including cartoons and real life moments. He particularly kept Harrison busy by having him play alongside him with his cars. However, it was no disruption as the get together was more informal than formal.

The dining table and small island was laden with finger foods, most of a healthy variation. Soft drinks and water were left to chill in a small-uncovered cooler on the kitchen counter. Everyone pretty much helped themselves at Olivia's invitation. For the first hour or so, they were all broken up into small conversational groups until Olivia and Fitz asked for their attention.

Clearing his throat, Fitz began speaking, "I want to thank you all for being here tonight as we share our good news. We appreciate it." Fitz hugged Olivia closer to his side, both wearing proud smiles.

Olivia added, "The small box I gave each of you earlier can now be opened."

Elizabeth was the first one to swiftly open her box and gasped in delight when she saw the small pink ornamental bootie with a white ribbon tied on it that said, _Jasmine Tabitha Grant, arrival in November._

Everyone else quickly caught on and they all shared in the celebration, coming one by one to properly congratulate the expecting parents.

"Me sistaaaaa!" Jackson sang from his place on the sofa and everyone laughed.

When the celebrations had died down, Stephen approached Fitz and said, "I gotta go, bro. Shelly had to leave work early because she isn't well. I'll make it up to you, though."

"I understand, no problem. Glad they called you and not me," Fitz chuckled. "Thanks for coming," he said, accepting his handshake that morphed into a bro hug.

"Wouldn't miss it. Btw, I got the digits."

Fitz raised his eyebrows already catching on. "How did you manage that?" he questioned, as he hadn't seen him talk to Abby for the night.

"A man has his ways," Stephen quipped, good-natured.

"Whatever man. Just don't do nothing stupid, because both of our balls will be on a platter."

Stephen laughed at him before saying, "you got it, man. I gotta go. Where's the queen of the house?"

"She's in the kitchen." Fitz pointed in the direction Olivia had taken a few minutes ago.

"Later," Stephen bid as he moved to the kitchen to say goodbye. Upon entering the kitchen he noticed Abby and Olivia huddled together, talking near the refrigerator. They immediately pulled apart when they noticed him enter the room.

Abby of course blushed at his presence while Olivia gave him a sheepish smile. He gave them a dazzling one in return, mostly at Abby before focusing his attention on Olivia.

"Liv, I want to thank you for feeding me before I leave. At least tonight I don't have to eat a sad frozen dinner." He moved to her and wrapped his arm loosely around her upper back, giving her baby bump space.

"It's no problem. You're always welcome here," she returned after their hug had ended.

"Thank you, even though I know Fitz wouldn't agree with your statement," he jested. Olivia laughed.

Turning his attention on Abby, he said, "It was nice meeting you again." He smiled brightly at her before leaning forward and planting a sweet kiss on her cheek.

Abby felt as though she would melt from his warm lips. It created butterflies in her stomach.

"Yea…" was all she trailed when he turned around and retreated out of the kitchen.

Olivia gave her best friend a knowing look and Abby rolled her eyes at her.

"Shut up!" Abby said before Olivia could say a word.

Olivia lifted her hands in surrender and quipped, "I wasn't even going to say a thing."

"Yea right-"

"Olivia, can I speak with you in private?" Jackie interrupted Abby's comeback. Olivia internally groaned as she'd tried to keep her distance from her mother all night long, only interacting with her in groups. She was happy that her and Elizabeth had gravitated towards each and thought that she would be spared from her mother's potentially unwanted advice and scrutiny. But alas! That wouldn't be happening.

"Sure," Olivia returned, excusing herself. Since the apartment was full with people the only empty room was the master bedroom or Jackson's room. She led her mother in the master bedroom because it was closer.

As soon as they entered the room Olivia frowned at her mother's wandering eyes. She immediately regretted bringing her into a room that held such intimacy between her husband and herself. She could count on one hand how many times her mother had visited their apartment.

Getting straight to the point, Olivia asked, "How may I help you?" Although feeling hostile she tried to hide it in her voice.

Then, Jackie seemed to have remembered where she was and refocused her attention on Olivia. The two women who were of similar built stared at each other from the entranceway of the bedroom.

With an impish smile on her face, Jackie said, "your dad told me that you and Fitz are going to be buying a house with the money we give you. I'm glad we can help."

Olivia tried not to feel offended by the topic and instead, gave her a tight smile and replied, "thanks."

"Not a problem. It's the least we can do; you guys really need the space. This apartment is barely bigger than a shoe box."

Olivia took a deep breath and bit the inside of her cheeks, trying to keep herself from going off on her mother. When she'd felt like she'd reign in some of her anger, she replied tersely, "I know that and that's why we were going to buy a house with or without the money you gave. However, we're thankful for it." She spoke matter-of-factly.

Jackie's face fell at the tone her daughter was taking with her. "Why do you always have to be so overly sensitive? If I ever say something, you're ready to fly off the handle at me. I'm just making a rather _obvious _observation and you're already being defensive. Gheeze… Lighten up."

In that moment, Olivia actually questioned whether or not she was being oversensitive but found that she wasn't and even if, she had her reasons. Taking a deeper breath Olivia moved to the queen-sized bed and carefully sat at the foot of it. "I'm sorry if I came across defensive. But, what else am I supposed to be around you?"

Jackie followed her and claimed a seat beside her on the bed "What do you mean?" Her voice sounded actually vulnerable and concerned.

Olivia looked her mother in the eyes so that she would understand what she's trying to relay to her. "When I'm around you I have to always be PC, walking on eggshells, or like you pointed out, on defense. This happened overtime from all of your chidings. You know how it feels to have your mother only speak negatively to you? There's nothing I can do right. There's always something I could be doing. You never recognize the good in what I do or me. So, yes, every time I'm around you I'm on defense, hoping that what else you have to spew won't hurt me. I have feelings too and sometime all I'm asking for and want, is your acceptance and love." She hadn't meant to go on a whole tirade but since her mother asked she had to answer, fully and honestly.

Silence fell on them for several seconds until Jackie broke it.

"I'm sorry, Olivia. I really am. It might not look like it, but all I ever want for you is the very best. I'm sorry that instead of uplifting you with kind words I burden you down with critics. I honestly don't know how I got here."

Olivia sighed and ran her hands down the front of her dress. "I don't know either. In the beginning we had a good relationship and then out of the blue you turned tough on me. And this was way before Fitz and I. What happened? Where did my mother go?" She regarded her mother with soft eyes; she really wanted to know what happened.

"I wish I can say," Jackie returned, her voice wavering with emotions. "Sometimes life makes us hard."

"But, mom, as a Christian shouldn't you know and act better?"

Jackie sighed, "yes." She paused.

"It's like Paul said, the things I want to do I do not do but the things that I don't want to do I do," Olivia paraphrased Romans 7:15.

Jackie looked surprised at her. "You still read your bible?"

"Of course I do."

Her face broke into a smile. "I'm so glad to hear that. And Fitz?"

Olivia sighed at her attempt to fish for information that would only bring about scrutiny. "I'm not going to answer that," she answered evenly, objecting to reveal her husband's spiritual journey.

As if on cue, Fitz opened the bedroom door. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were in here," he said, standing frozen in the doorway.

"It's ok, honey. We were just getting ready to leave." Olivia began standing to her feet and Jackie begrudgingly followed.

"Oh ok." He sidestepped out of their way and watched as they made their way out of the door, but not without mouthing, "are you ok?" to Olivia. He was relieved when she nodded yes with a smile.

* * *

Later that night, when everyone had left and Jackson was put to sleep, Fitz and Olivia began cleaning the mess remaining. Both Abby and Quinn had volunteered to do it, but they graciously declined their assistance. As they were cleaning they recapped the night's event, in particular Jackie. She was a crowd altogether.

"I can't believe that she suggested to be our realtor," Fitz said, shaking his head in amusement. His mother in law had a knack for surprising him with her shenanigans. After Fitz had returned to the living room that was when she asked if they had a realtor and that her services were available for them to use, as she was a realtor herself.

Olivia was stacking some leftover baby carrots into a Ziploc bag when she returned, "As much as there might be some perks, I won't even go there. She's my mother and I love her but no. I don't want her anymore involved in this process than she already is."

Smiling brightly at her resolve Fitz nodded his agreement. They shifted their conversation from Jackie and moved onto lighter topics.

"So, Stephen likes Abby?"

Fitz was initially tight lipped but Olivia's unwavering gaze loosening him up. "I guess so," he countered.

"That's nice. Is he currently seeing anyone?" She deadpanned, bag of carrots midair.

Fitz gave her an I-don't-know shrug.

"Stop bullshitting me, Fitzgerald. You would know if he is. Is he?" She queried, having her friend's interest at heart.

"Not to my knowledge," he responded truthfully.

Through slits she regarded him, "and if he is you would tell me?"

"Umm… so that you can tell Abby?"

"Of course! If you were cheating on me and she knew about it, I'm positive she would without a doubt tell me."

"And that's why women are always in problems. You don't know when to mind your own business and stay in your lane."

"Are you serious right now? It's wrong for women to inform each other about cheating men but not wrong for men to hide each other's infidelity? BS!"

"Oh my god! That is so not what I was saying. All I said, was that I'm not going to get involved with bringing and carrying news between the two," he defended, broom in one hand and dustpan in the other.

"Hmm…" Olivia huffed. "You better tell me what you know."

"As of right now I have nothing to say because I don't know."

They continued working around each other in silence, tidying the place when Olivia's yelped stopped them.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned, as he watched her hands immediately fly to her belly.

Looking up at him with a wide grin, she answered, "Jasmine kicked for the first time. Come feel."

Fitz dropped his cleaning tools and quickly ambled over to her. His giant palms covering her belly over the soft cotton fabric stretched across it, as he waited for Jasmine to kick again. Luckily, he didn't have to wait long before he started feeling movements against his hands. They were both smiling jubilantly at the new milestone in her pregnancy.

Consumed by his love for his wife he bent his head and captured her pouty lips in a simple kiss. They stayed like that for a minute before finishing up the light cleaning. After that, Fitz ensured that the apartment was secured; they kissed Jackson good night again and retired to their bedroom, where they quickly fell asleep from the day's activity.

* * *

Another two weeks later, Fitz was walking out of his last finals exam of the semester. He was glad that he was officially done with it and was looking forward to the short summer break before it recommenced early fall. It was a Friday in late July and not that hot, surprisingly. Rain had fallen earlier so that had something to do with it. As he was making his way to his car his phone started ringing. Initially, he thought it was Olivia as they were going house viewing with their realtor that afternoon, but when he checked his phone he noticed that it was his dad's number.

"Hey," he answered coolly.

"Hi, Fitz," a sweet voice chirped back, unlike his dad's.

"Hey, Theresa. How are you?" He greeted his little sister.

"I'm good." He could hear the smile in her voice.

"What's your plans for summer?" He asked, making small talk. School had been out for a week now

"Mom is taking me to New York to visit Grandma Chelles and I'm going to stay for a while before coming home in time for my birthday. Are you going to come for my birthday party?"

Oops… Fitz had forgotten all about that and mentally chided himself to be a better older brother to the young girl because she looked up to him, but sometimes he honestly forgot about her. And she had nothing to do with it. Since the divorce between his parents he completely wrote his father off and that unfortunately, wrote Theresa off as well.

In a cheery tone of voice, he said, "of course I will. I wouldn't miss it for the world. When is it again?"

"On the 15th of August."

Fitz mentally penciled in the date. "Ok, we'll be there, I promise."

"Yay… Jackson and Livia too?"

"Yes…"

"I can't wait to see you guys. I miss you and love you," she spoke in rapid succession.

Fitz smiled, her words melting his heart. Leaning against his car, he said, "I miss and love you too, Teesa," he pronounced her name like JT. She laughed, catching onto him.

"Oh, dad wants to speak to you," she said as a last minute thought. Shortly after, Fitz was transferred to his father and they began talking amicably. Truth be told, their communication was a tad bit better, but still there was no relationship between the two. No sort of camaraderie so to speak. When they were finished they ended with nothing more than a "talk to you another time." No endearments to part with.

* * *

Olivia had finished getting her and mostly Jackson ready, as they waited for Fitz to get home. Since school was out she kept Jackson at home with her.

"Please go and grab your blue and green sandals from your closet," she said after brushing his hair into perfection. She was sitting on the couch while he stood between her legs.

"I want to wear sneakers," he refuted petulantly.

"Mommy can't bend down to tie your shoelaces," she explained. Putting on shoes on his feet was becoming increasingly difficult as her pregnancy progressed. So she looked to put on the easiest out of the bunch.

"I want my sneakers," he repeated, shaking his head.

Olivia sighed not wanting to get into a feud with her toddler. "Go and get the sandals, now," she spoke warningly.

"No! I don't want to wear it!" He cried out loud, throwing a full-blown tantrum, stomping his feet at her.

Instinctively wanting to put an end to it, Olivia reached out a hand and grabbed him firmly by the forearm and held him in place as she planted two firm spanks onto his jean cladded bottom.

When she was finished she looked at him and in a firm tone said, "When I tell you to do something, you listen to me."

His face now red and scrunched up as tears fall freely from his eyes, nodded.

"Now, go and bring me your sandals."

He solemnly cried and did as he was told.

As she was fitting his feet into the sandals Fitz entered through the door.

"Hello fellow Grants," he greeted brightly. "What happen here?" he immediately asked after seeing the tears rolling down his son's cheeks and his wife's stern disposition, trying to get his foot into the sandal. Olivia didn't immediately answer, so he made his way over to them.

"Someone threw another tantrum today," she finally replied.

"Is that so?" He turned his attention on a whimpering Jackson. Fitz wiped the remaining tears off of his cheeks with his thumb and moved it to his forehead, lingering at the place where the wound from a month ago was no longer visible.

Jackson said nothing in response.

Fitz then asked Olivia what happened and she relayed in a few words what transpired between the two of them. He returned his attention onto Jackson again and asked, "What did we talk about when you tossed your bowl onto the floor?" Fitz reminding him of his stunt from last week, when he threw the bowl of mash potatoes on the floor because he wanted to eat Lay's potato chips.

He still said nothing, staring into space.

"Do you want to stay home?" Fitz further queried. That got his attention and he shook his head no.

"Are you going to behave yourself?"

He nodded.

"Use your words, Jackson," Fitz urged.

"Yesh, daddy," he said, wearing a serious expression.

"Good and I'm holding you to your words, ok?"

Jackson nodded his head frantically as his attention was diverted to his small Lightning McQueen car on the floor nearby. Without waiting for permission he left his parents' presence to go and retrieve it and started playing like nothing happened. He returned to his charming and blissful self.

From the couch, Fitz leaned across and gave his wife a light peck on the lips. "How was your day, Sweetheart?" he asked.

"Not too bad. Could've used a little bit more of sleep, though."

Sympathizing with her lack of rest he hugged her to his side.

* * *

They made small talks on their way to the house located in northwest Tampa. Things were going good until Fitz brought up Theresa's birthday trip.

"Fitz, we can't go because we already made plans to go to my family reunion and we'll be in Pensacola then."

"Shit!"

"Language!"

"Sorry," he muttered. "I forgot all about that and I promised her we would come."

Olivia sighed sadly, "That's unfortunate because you'll have to cancel."

Fitz briefly looked away from the road and studied her. "I can't bail on my little sister. I'm already a pissy-poor big brother."

"So what do you suggest we do, husband?" she asked mordantly.

"I don't know, we can drive down from Pensacola that day and then drive back up the next day."

"That makes no sense since we'll literally have no time to actually _be_ at the reunion," Olivia explained.

"Which might not be a bad thing since you didn't want to go to begin with," Fitz snarled and Olivia sucked her teeth at him.

"Whatever, I'm going to my family reunion for _all_ three days. You figure out what you're going to do because I don't plan on being cooped up in a car for hours upon hours."

Fitz shook his head but didn't reply to her. And, Jackson's loud squeak interrupted them when he spotted a trailer of horses attached to the back of a pick up truck in the next lane.

* * *

When they pulled off of the main road and turned onto a residential street, the couple silently began praying that the house they were about to view would be their future home. After weeks of searching through the online and physical catalog for a house that was both affordable and compatible for them, it had proven to be a difficult feat. The neighborhood they were in was relatively, could be a result of the time of day. They noticed that the houses were a lot newer than the ones they'd visited before. As Fitz made the necessary turns prompted by his iPhone GPS they stopped in front of a one-story beige colored house, surrounded by two other houses with similar color. Their location was successfully confirmed when they noticed their realtor's Nissan Altima car in the driveway. Fitz drove up beside it and parked before exiting.

The couple was taken by the appearance of the single family detached house from the outside with well-manicured lawns. As they made their way toward the front door each holding one of Jackson's hands, they continued to study their environment. So far they were impressed.

"Hello!" The jubilant face of Anna, their relator greeted before they had a chance to knock on the door.

"Hi," Olivia and Fitz returned in unison, each wearing a face splitting smile.

"Come in, come in," she gestured quickly with her hands.

"Hey little man, so good of you to join us. Maybe you'll bring your parents luck today. What you say?" Anna bent down to greet Jackson who was now clinging onto his mother's leg shyly. He only blushed and further burrowed his face into her maxi skirt.

"I hope so," Fitz chuckled.

Straightening up her posture, Anna gave an exaggerated sway of her arms as she began talking. "Well, you won't believe this. This house has been on the market for approximately 48 hours and I had to get you two to see it as soon as possible because the minute I saw it, I knew you would like it. Well I hope so. The owners bought it two years ago and it was built three years prior, so it is relatively young. They recently relocated and need it off of their hands pronto." She paused. "Walk with me," she invited.

The tour began and Olivia was admiring every bit of the open floor plan, three bedrooms with another room that could be converted into a fourth one, two and a half baths, sizable kitchen – also open floor plan with long marble top counters and a small rectangular kitchen island in the middle. If that didn't get her, the screened in patio and already fenced backyard was an added bonus. But, that wasn't the cherry on top of the cake for her. Throughout the entire house, with the exception for the kitchen and bathrooms the flooring consisted of hardwood. Olivia was especially elated since she hated carpeted floors and found tiling to be too dangerous for small kids.

The house they were viewing had potential, serious potential. So much so that they could envision living there. The master bedroom was something out of this world. They had a bathtub that was big enough to hold the two of them and two walk in closets. Olivia was already thinking about future usage, with a grin.

With a quick look to her husband she knew that he was also sold on the property. Now, the only question was, how much?

When they asked Anna the going price for the house they were left shocked. Neither believed that the house of such grandeur was being sold for $5,000 below what they were originally projecting to spend.

Looking at each other again, they opened their mouth and simultaneously said, "We'll take it."

Anna clasped her hands together in elation. "Marvelous, like I said, I know you would've appreciated this one. Let me ring into the office." She gave them a warm smile, pulled her cellphone out of the front pocket of her dress pants and made her way outside for privacy. Meanwhile, Olivia, Jackson and Fitz surveyed the property on their own leisure.

They ended up in the middle of one of the living rooms, looking up at the high ceilings. Olivia's hand was holding onto Jackson's hand while Fitz wrapped a loose arm around her waist, they were all physically connected.

"Home," Olivia breathed. She wasn't only speaking about the physical component of a home but also the emotional and spiritual one that lie in the bond between them. Together they were at home.

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed this update. Jackson is better, thank goodness. Didn't want to go through a long drawn out process with that and kids get into accidents all of the time. Hope you like the gender reveal shindig and of course I had to give Stephen his chance for pursuing Abby. Love them as a couple. And of course, Jackie Pope is still a hard ass, LOL. What do you think about the scene with her and Liv?**

**Throughout this entire chapter, Olivia and Fitz had moments of disagreements and I wanted to portray that because realistically it's not always "I love you" and you "hold the stars and moons." People have small fights and big ones. Who should compromise on their event? Should Fitz go to his sister's birthday by himself or stay at Liv's family reunion? Decisions, decisions…**

**And poor Jackson got a spanking, some may not agree to it but oh well, you have a right to your opinion and so do I. And again, I try to write this story realistically.**

**Finally, they found their dream house. Woohoo! **

**Don't forget to review; I sure do appreciate them.**

**Until next time,**

**XOXO**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: Hey, hope everyone is doing well. Hope you enjoy this update and please don't forget to review. Thanks! Enjoy :)**

* * *

A tote bag consisting of groceries slung upon her shoulder as she climbed the short stairs to their apartment. The day was particularly hot as was expected in the middle of summer. She could feel sweat gathering underneath her shirt from the short walk from the car and her breathing already labored. The front door key was already selected, held in her right hand and aimed towards the lock for when she finally made it to the door. In one swift motion she turned the key and unlocked it before pushing the door open.

Her eyes did a double take at the messy apartment, there was clothes strewn on the floor along with toys. She slowly entered the room, her breath held in and her eyes wildly scanning the atmosphere. She found more clothes on the couch and coffee table and more toys. _What in the world? This wasn't how I left it this morning._

"Fitz?" Olivia called out, slipping out of her black Target styled TOMS. She heard rustling coming from the guest bathroom and decided to walk towards there, with grocery bag and all.

The closer she got towards the bathroom door, she heard Jackson's faint voice singing the Chuggington theme song.

"Jackson?" Olivia said as she opened the door. When she opened it she saw Jackson standing on his little black stool with his toothpaste in hand, squeezing out every ounce of it into the sink.

Her voice startled him and he dropped it into the sink, looking contrite.

"Where is your father?" Olivia spoke in a stern tone, not even bothering to yell on him since this wouldn't have happened had Fitz been watching him.

"Dada sweeping," he answered, chewing on his bottom lip, something he did when he knew he was in trouble.

Olivia took a deep breath and signal with her hand for him to exit the bathroom and he did without much opposition. Olivia stormed out after him and made her way to the kitchen, unceremoniously dropping the grocery bag onto the counter top, vaguely remembering that she had a carton of eggs inside.

"Pack up your toys, please," She instructed Jackson in passing as she made her way to the master bedroom.

She entered the room to see Fitz fast asleep on their bed with his phone propped up on her pillow, replaying videos of the latest football game. He was half dressed in only a pair of red basketball shorts, baring his midriff and chest.

"Fitz," she called out, tapping his forearm gently. He mumbled something incoherent and turned away from her.

"Fitz!" Olivia hit him harder but this time in the middle of his back, making a loud slapping sound.

"What!" Fitz jumped out of his sleep, agitated by her interruption and his stinging skin.

"Aren't you supposed to be watching Jackson?" She asked, unfazed by his annoyance.

"I am, he's sleeping," Fitz replied in an exasperated tone.

"Well, he's not anymore. As a matter-of-fact go see exactly what he's doing."

Fitz exhaled deeply because he was tired and hadn't slept well the previous night because Olivia was up with a terrible heartburn. Nothing had helped until he went to the nearest CVS to buy some over the counter Nexium 24-hour relieve. And Jackson kept him busy all morning when Olivia left for her three-month hair appointment where she gets a trim and a blowout. So he was up by 9 after going to bed around 4.

"Liv, can you just deal with whatever since you're home now? I'm tired." He grumbled, burrowing himself further into the mattress, inadvertently dismissing her.

"No Fitz! You deal with it." That was all she said and left him laying. Now that he could tell she was upset, made him unable to fall back asleep.

Sighing, he pushed himself up on his elbows before swinging his feet, one by one to the side of the bed. He stood to his feet, stretched out his limbs and retreated from the room. As he surveyed the room his eyes grew wide at the mess. _Dammit Jackson! _He shouted in his head.

"Jackson?" He called in a cool voice, sidestepping over the Lego pieces carelessly scattered across the floor.

"Yesh!" Jackson popped up from behind the couch; in one hand he was holding a blue hamper that stored his toys. Fitz watched as he tossed his toys one by one inside of it.

"Oh good, you're cleaning up your mess." Fitz breathed easy; secretly glad that was one less thing for him to do.

"Uh huh," was all Jackson said as he continued his task.

"Keep it up," Fitz smiled, giving him a thumb up.

In the short distance he heard Olivia in the kitchen slamming cupboard doors. He made his way towards the kitchen, seeing her put away the refrigerated goods. Standing to the side, he briefly admired her petite form in blue denim boyfriend jeans that were fitting tighter, and a loose fitting peach T-shirt that clung to her burgeoning belly. Her feet were bare showing off her freshly painted toenails and her hair was falling straight around her shoulders. She looked pissed but yet still beautiful.

Leaning against the wall, Fitz wrapped his arms around his waist and continued to lovingly study his woman. He knew that she could sense him there but she purposely refused to acknowledge his presence. He watched as she moved around the small kitchen area, packing away all of the items she brought home with her before storing the reusable shopping bag in their miscellaneous drawer.

"Am I the only one who can do dishes around her?" She asked abruptly, eyeing the pile of breakfast and lunch dishes in the sink.

Fitz rolled his eyes, hating when she got like this. It wasn't often that she nagged him but the times that she did irked him, if he was being honest.

Ignoring her question because he truly didn't feel like arguing with her and was without a doubt going to attend to the dishes later, questioned instead, "Your hair looks nice. Did you cut it shorter than usual?"

"Yes," she replied tersely.

_Okay… _Fitz smirked, thinking that he could easily break her funk with physical contact; he moved towards her but didn't calculate her sidestepping his advance.

He watched as she picked up her small handbag from the countertop next to the refrigerator and exited the room in a flurry, leaving him feeling foolish. Shaking his head he made his way back to the living room to see if Jackson was still at work.

"Jackson Thomas Grant, how in the world… did you make all of this mess?" Fitz rhetorically questioned, really looking at the mess his son made. How he did it within such a short time was beyond him.

Jackson looked up sheepishly from the floor and shrugged his shoulder, continuing his meticulous movements and when he moved his left hand to pick up one of his action figurines Fitz saw traces of a bright blue substance on his fingertips.

"What is that on your hand?"

"Toopate…" he bit his bit his bottom lip, looking nervously at his father.

Fitz pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing the mess was far more than some toys and clothes on the floor. "Come on, Jackson! You know better than to mess with stuff like that," he sighed.

"Sowee, dada. I's bowed." He tried to relay his boredom.

Sighing again, Fitz spoke calmly, telling him he just cannot mess up the place because he was feeling bored. He knew he wasn't to be blame fully because he was supposed to be watching him. Shortly after Fitz joined him in the cleaning.

* * *

Meanwhile, Olivia was in the master bedroom pulling her hair into a low ponytail when her cellphone began ringing.

She looked down at the screen and noticed that it was her father. She smiled, picking it up with one hand while the other held her hair together. "Hi dad."

"Hi Liv, how are you?" his deep, loving voice probed.

Something about his voice always made her happy, and it was no different in that moment.

"I'm good. How are you?" She secured the phone between her neck and shoulder, freeing up her hand so that she can finish the process of securing her hair with a hair tie.

"I'm doing good. Just decided to check on you; not too long got home from the office and realized that I haven't spoken to my baby girl all week."

She smiled, enraptured that he still referred to her as his baby girl. "Well, whose fault is that?"

"I don't know, you tell me. After all communication is a two way street," he quipped.

She chortled. "I guess so. Oh, dad, I have some news to share but please don't tell mom as yet."

"Oh, oh," John sing sang.

Olivia laughed. "It's not bad news. We bought a house two days ago and are in the process of finalizing the purchase."

"Oh, that's wonderful. Tell me more," John encouraged excitedly.

Olivia began rattling off various dimensions of the house.

"And my favorite part is the wooden floors. I can't wait for you to see it…" she finished on a high note.

"Sounds fantastic, Liv. Congrats to you and Fitz. May an abundance of blessings flow your way on this new stage of your lives."

"Thanks dad. How's mom?"

"She's good."

"Is she home?" Olivia asked out of obligation, not that she was looking to speak to her.

"Not presently."

"Oh. Tell her I said hi…"

"You know you can call her to say hi, right?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders and halfheartedly replied, "yes.

"I'm sure she would like that," John encouraged and Olivia squished her face in slight disgust.

"Uh huh…"

Sensing that there were reservations on her part John decided to switch the topic. "So how's my grandson doing?"

"Bad…" Olivia stressed and John laughed. "Came home to a pretty much thrashed living room and he emptied out his entire tube of toothpaste in the bathroom sink." The more Olivia talked the louder her father's laughter grew.

"Come on… he's not that bad. Do I need to remind you of your less than stellar days?"

"Oh please, father… you know I was the poster child for all things right and pure." At that John cackled aloud.

"Yea, right. Remember when you dunked your mother's good wig in the toilet after you'd peed inside it?" Olivia laughed at the memory of her 5-year old self; she also remembered the spanking that followed.

"Mom was so pissed."

"She was but eventually got over it."

"She did," she smiled at the memory, getting lost in happier times.

"How's my granddaughter treating you?" His calm voice broke her reverie.

"She's good, kept me up last night with a nasty heartburn. I guess she's coming with a head full of hair, if the saying is true." She smiled again to herself, envisioning her little girl.

She could hear the smile in her father's voice when he replied, "you're such a good mother, both of you are good parents. I didn't always get it right but I'm so proud to see my grandchildren growing up with loving parents." One thing about John Pope, he wasn't gun shy with emotions and sentiments, his motto in life was to let the people he love know that he loved them at all times.

"That means a lot, thanks dad." They spoke for a few more minutes until ending with I love you geared towards the other.

Olivia ended the call feeling in much higher spirits. Still dressed in her going out clothes, she walked to the living room to see her boys busy cleaning up. It was almost comical to see them both in the same state of undress, wearing only basketball shorts while trying to gather clothes and toys from off of the floor. They worked in harmony cleaning the house. _I love them…. Genuinely and purely love them… Even when they do things that grate my nerves, I love them. That's a fact. _

"What do you guys want for dinner?" She asked sweetly, smiling. Their curly heads popped up simultaneously to look her way.

Jackson recovered first and suggested, "chicken swips."

Olivia laughed and shook her head at her son's new favorite snack, chicken strips and fries. "No, boo. How about mac and cheese with veggies on the side? Yum…" She smacked her lips together for emphasis.

"With chicken swips?" he asked, eyes widened with optimism.

Olivia answered, "maybe" with a playful shake of her head. She looked over at Fitz who was staring at her and she winked at him, mouthing, "I love you." His face transformed into a beam and it made her heart skip a beat. For as long as she was alive he will always make heart skip a beat, she was sure of it.

* * *

Two hours later, the apartment was clean again and dinner was finished. Olivia was plating their food when she felt strong arms enveloping her from behind, followed by a soft kiss on her sweet spot, a place strategically placed on the right side of her neck – close to her ears.

"Something smells amazing," he crooned in her ears, observing the cheesy stovetop macaroni, stir-fry veggies and as Jackson requested, chicken strips made from scratch with chicken breast that was microwaved thawed.

"Hmmm…" she smiled, continuing her task, reveling in the feel of his body pressed against her. She could feel his taut muscles against her backside.

"Finissssshhh…" Jackson announced, rushing back into the room with his hands outstretched, showing off his freshly washed hands.

"Good job, baby," Olivia said in a cheery tone and watched as her baby boy soaked up her praises. He loved being rewarded for his good acts, especially vocally.

Fitz kissed her neck once again and released his grip from her waist before wordlessly helping her transfer the food onto the small dinner table.

Fifteen minutes later, they were enjoying dinner with amicable conversation. The couple spoke about final preparations to start their move into their new house. They enjoyed conversing with Jackson as he spoke animatedly over his food, traces of macaroni around his mouth, which Olivia fought the urge to wipe off every time.

"So I was thinking about Theresa's birthday party coinciding with the family reunion and think maybe you and JT should go and I'll stay at the reunion." Olivia suggested, forking up some vegetables.

"Hmmm," Fitz mumbled, sipping his water. "What you're saying, we go up to the reunion with you and then leave the next day?"

"Yep. I want to at least introduce you and Jackson to my family."

Fitz nodded and looked over to truly gauge her countenance and found her to be cool and poised. "Ok, we can do that," he conceded. "Maybe we can have Theresa for a week. What you think?"

"That's actually not a bad idea but it'll be hard when we're in the middle of moving."

She had a point, it would be hard to have her over but he still wanted to make an effort. "Maybe I can ask mom for her to stay by her since she has the space."

Olivia chuckled. "You think she will be ok with that?"

Fitz look bemused. "Uh... yea… Why wouldn't she?"

Olivia shrugged. "I'm just saying... since you know how things ended with your parents."

"Nah, mom is going to be fine. She might even be ecstatic." Fitz paused. "Let me ask you something, hypothetically speaking of course, if I have an outside child won't you accept him or her into our home?"

She stopped eating and cast him an un-amused expression, giving him the full stank face. "I won't even answer your question because I'm not entertaining the thought. You having an outside child and me not accepting them into our home would be the last of your worries, technically you wouldn't have any worries because I will kill you."

Fitz laughed at her threat, not because he didn't take her seriously but because her jealous side always entertained him.

Laughing too at her own words, she warningly said, "don't think about it Grant, I'll hang you by your b-a-l-l-s," she spelt, censoring her words from the prying young ears of a certain little boy.

* * *

After dinner Olivia supervised Jackson with his bath while Fitz took a much-needed shower, as neither of the two had bothered showering that day. By the time Jackson was dressed in his pull-ups and pajamas he was already falling asleep. Olivia lay on his bed, running her fingers through his curls, lulling him into a peaceful slumber.

"Prayer time, baby."

"Otay," he pushed his face further into her side, inhaling her sweet and unique scent that brought him immense comfort, while his little arm wrapped around her neck. Together, they began reciting their nightly prayer.

_"Now I lay me down to sleep,  
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,  
Your angels watch me through the night,  
And keep me safe till morning's light."_

"Ament…" he drowsily said.

"Amen," Olivia chorused, kissing him on his forehead, hugging him tighter. She stayed with him for a few more minutes until he fell asleep. By then Fitz walked in and kissed his cheek good night, turned off the main light, leaving his nightlight on before he and Olivia retired to their bedroom.

Fitz got comfortable in between the cotton bed sheets, watching as Olivia milled around the room getting ready for bed. She moved her activities to the conjoined bathroom. A few seconds later he heard the shower running and a few minutes after it stopped. A couple minutes later his wife came out dressed in a lavender nightgown, her stomach poking out in front, the swell of her breasts rising at the top of the round neckline and her taut nipples strained against the slinky material – showing off her braless state and a colorful headscarf adorned her head.

Another few minutes later, and she was finally in bed by his side.

"About time," Fitz groaned, hugging her to his side, inhaling the fresh scent of her vanilla and brown sugar shower gel.

Olivia giggled when Fitz began kissing her neck, tickling her with his week's old beard.

"Mmmhmmm. Leave me alone, I'm reading…" She said, stopping his wandering hands destination to her breasts.

"What you reading?" Fitz asked absentmindedly, still trying to cop a feel of her succulent breasts.

"The bible."

"Oh…." He sounded, moving his hands to rest innocently on her belly.

"Want to hear what I'm reading about?"

"Sure, read to me."

Olivia turned around with her iPhone in hand, her YouVersion bible app opened on Matthew 23.

She smiled before beginning to read the scriptures. "Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. _For they don't practice what they teach._ They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden…." Olivia continued reading several verses before picking up at verse 19.

"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisee? Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the most important aspects of the law – justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things."

Olivia ended her reading, looking into her husband's meditative face.

"What you think?"

He smirked, saying, "Jesus sounds like one badass. Did he actually say that to the Conservatives' forefathers?"

Olivia laughed, agreeing with his correlation between the Conservatives and Pharisees. "He really did…"

Silence fell over them for a few seconds. Fitz was absentmindedly trailing his fingertips along the length of her arm. The atmosphere was light and relaxing.

"Do you really believe in heaven like after we die?" His voice was soft and almost dreamlike when he spoke.

After a beat, Olivia answered confidently. "I do. I believe that there's life after death and there's a heaven."

"What if there isn't? What if at the end of our lives that is it?" He questioned.

Olivia gave him a small shrug before answering. "Well, I don't believe so. Deep down I know that there's a God bigger than what we can imagine and comprehend. But, even if it there isn't, I'd rather live my life believing God exists and die finding out he doesn't, than live as if he doesn't and find out he does."

Fitz nodded in deep thought.

Smiling, she stretched out her hand to cup his face, stroking his chin with her thumb while looking into his deep-set blue eyes.

"I love you…" she whispered, the sudden urge to say it arose and she acquiesced.

Moving closer to her, Fitz grabbed her face and kissed her lips softly. "I love you too."

"Good… kiss me again, deeper this time." And he did, passionately caressing her mouth with his tongue but stopped before things got too heated. Afterwards they shifted their bodies into a spooning position. Fitz securely rested his hands on Olivia's belly, noting the calmness, as Jasmine was asleep.

Fitz realized how lucky he was to be blessed with such an amazing wife, an incredible son and a daughter on the way. A mother that loved him, a father that never gave up on him, a father-in-law who admired him and a mother-in-law who wasn't 100% there for him. Life wasn't perfect but he was grateful for his. And, if God was responsible for orchestrating all of this he was indebted to Him forever. _Even in the after life_, he mused.

He listened to his wife's evened out breathing and hugged her tighter before succumbing to sleep himself.

* * *

**AN: Another update I hope conveyed their everyday life. Liv going home to a dirty house by the hands of her toddler, to finishing their day with philosophical discussions. Let me know which parts you liked in your reviews.**

**Until next time,**

**XOXO.**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: This will be the first and last time I'll speak about this, so humor me. So, I stopped watching Scandal after the mess that was the S3 finale, didn't watch any of S4, but then I decided to watch S5 since "at last Olitz will be together." I casual viewed the first 7 episodes (I think). Anyways, two weeks ago I stopped watching because I could've sensed the fuckery coming, and, boy... am I glad. Can't say that I'm disappointed because I'm not. More like weary. Same old shit just a different day. End of speaking about that show.**

**As a writer (albeit on a very small scale) I promise to give you my best. I write because I enjoy it. I write about Olitz because I once believed in their one of a kind love, and not even canon can mess with that. Won't give them the power to. That entire show is dead to me. Fan fiction is where Olitz is. I love you all for reading my ramblings, my stories and for reviewing. I appreciate it so much.**

**Hope you enjoy this update!**

* * *

**_Part 1_**

Thunder rumbled upon the earth in fear-provoking crashes as lightening zapped at strategically targeted places with swiftness, faster than a blink of an eye. The sound caused apprehension in the strongest of hearts, even more so for a two and a half year old.

"Mommy, can we call daddy?" Jackson asked, fearful, from the backset of his mother's cherry red Camry, as they moved cautiously through the heavy rainfall and thunderstorm. The little boy wanting to seek comfort in his father, whom he believed was fearless and could protect him from anything.

"We can't call him right now, JT. Daddy is at work," she explained in a soothing tone. "We'll be home soon."

Window shield wipers worked frantically to push off the quickly falling raindrops, clouding Olivia's vision. Her eyes stayed glued to the road as she carefully navigated the car through a Florida rainstorm. She hated driving through the rain, especially through what she called, white rain, where you could hardly see a thing. Those were the absolute worst and unfortunately, most frequent in Florida.

A quick glance in the rearview mirror showed her baby boy seated upright and securely strapped in his car seat. His hair was slightly damp, for the afternoon rain had begun pouring when they were halfway to the car. They'd made a quick trip to Wal-Mart to gather travel size necessities for their trip to Pensacola the next day, inviting the occurrence to be rained upon. The time for the annual Thompson's family reunion had arrived.

_Remember to dry his hair when we get home. _She mentally inputted in her things to do file. A file that was longer than both of her arms combined.

"Ok…" He conceded not too happily, pulling her out of her musings. _He was getting better at pronouncing his 'K's', _Olivia duly noted.

"We'll be home soon," she reiterated.

Less than fifteen minutes later, Olivia was pulling into the parking lot of their apartment complex. The rain was still pouring down in torrents. Unfortunately for them, they didn't carry an umbrella. She parked the car and unbuckled her seatbelt but left the engine running to keep the air cool in the car. Turning around in her seat, she said to Jackson, "we'll wait out the rain."

He nodded.

Five minutes later and the rain were still pouring down and both Olivia's and Jackson's patience was growing thin. And the fact that lightning and thunder was still playing in the rain show didn't sit well with Jackson. He was on the brink of tears and Olivia had to think fast. Grabbing both of the Wal-Mart plastic bags she emptied out the contents of one into the other. She tied the mouth of the one that held the merchandise and passed the empty one to Jackson.

"Put this on your head," she instructed.

"Like this?" He sneered, finding it funny that the plastic bag swallowed his entire head, including face so his voice was muffled.

"Oh, God, no…" Olivia panicked. "Take it off." He obliged fast at her panicky voice, and she collected the bag back from him. _What a horrible idea! Almost suffocated my own child._

Plastic bag in her right hand, she turned off the engine, grabbed the other plastic bag of merchandise and her handbag before opening the car door. She climbed out as quickly as her pregnant belly would allow, the rain immediately drenching her, pasting her white T-shirt to her skin. She opened the backdoor of the car and swiftly unbuckled Jackson from his car seat and tied the plastic bag around his head before leading him out of the car. She held his hand as they climbed the stairs to the second floor. By the time they arrived at the front door they were almost soaked to the bone.

Olivia stretched her keychain to her car and activated the car alarm before unlocking the apartment door. By now Jackson had found the entire situation funny and was letting out even more chortles.

Once on the inside, the cold AC air formed goosebumps on their wet flesh.

Olivia pulled the wet plastic bag off his head and tossed the one with the items carefully into the sofa a foot away from the door. She then, slipped out of her flats and helped him with his shoes.

Ten minutes later, they were both dressed in dry clothes. Olivia had a towel in hand and was towel drying her hair, contemplating whether or not to wash it because she hated when her hair got wet unless it was during a wash.

"Mommy, can we eat the cookies now?" He clasped his hands together in a plea. The small blue packet of Chips Ahoy! taunting him through the semi-translucent gray bag, still on the sofa.

Olivia had forgotten all about that. "Sure," she said, grabbing the bag and then untied the knot she made. "Do you want milk with it?"

"Yessh! Pease." he hissed.

She got up and went and grabbed a short glass of milk with a wide opening.

For the next couple of minutes the duo sat on the couch indulging on chocolate chips cookies while the TV played the evening news in the background.

"Oh!" Olivia chirped when she felt the fluttering movements of Jasmine; it was actually more like a jab to her ribcage.

"What wong?" Jackson inquired worriedly, looking up at her.

"Your sister is moving, you wanna feel her?" Olivia's face beamed brightly.

A frantic nod of his head, and a quick outstretched chocolate covered hand eagerly moved forward. But, before he could make contact Olivia used the now damp towel that she was drying her hair with to wipe his hand off. She then placed his small left hand on the right side of her belly.

"Whoa!" he grinned, exuberantly. He could feel her as soon as his hand landed on his mother's belly.

"I can't wait to play with you," he spoke clearly in his developing two and a half-year old speech.

Olivia's heart constricted in her chest, beating with lots of love for her children. She couldn't imagine doing life without them. Aside from God, Fitz and her father, her children were the most important people in her life. There was nothing she wouldn't do for them. Gathering Jackson closer to her side, she enjoyed the snuggle time with her little buddy. She was contented to spend her Thursday evening like this.

* * *

The humming of the heavy-duty washing machine as it washed small white towels, combined with the pitter patter of the rain on the rooftop was lulling Fitz into a lethargic state. He was just finishing up on the small gym towels that were laid out on the various exercising machines for people to use to wipe down after themselves. Of course, not all of them did; which, he couldn't understand. That's why he was a pre and post wiper-downer. He'd seen too much nasty shit to last a lifetime.

Looking down at his sports watch he read the time; he had three more hours before his shift ended.

Fitz walked out of the small laundry room and back into the main office area and took a seat by his makeshift desk. He clicked the mouse to access his home page. Once the screen was illuminated he clicked on the icon to pull up his schedule and went over it. He noticed that he didn't have a lot of appointment on it. He was off the next four days so he wasn't too worried there but for the entire month, he only had like 5 training sessions scheduled, and they were recurring clients. _Need some new clients. _He thought._ Gotta get my dollars up, especially with the house move in date approaching in less than a month. _Fitz sighed. _So much to do that requires finances._ _Like, start shopping for Jasmine, which we need to do ASAP. She's literally coming in three months and we bought nada. _

He ran his fingers through his hair and slouched back in the chair. His head tilted to the right as he stared at the wall, lost in his thoughts. He tried not to put too much pressure on himself but sometimes it was hard being the provider when his money barely covered the basics: rent, food and utilities. He was fortunate to have a woman beside him who was willing to meet him halfway and even more, when a need arise. Letting out a long, sigh he shook his head from his cumbersome thoughts, things could've been worst and thankfully it wasn't.

The funniest thought broke his musings. Creeping out of an archived memory like a thief in the night was the recollection of his and Olivia's rendezvous – the quickie resulting in Jasmine's conception. He started laughing to himself at the memory. How persuasive and desperate he was to get his woman back. He was so lonely and miserable without her. He couldn't believe that they'd lived apart for 2 months. He hoped to never experience that again. He shuddered at the mere thought. On the bright side, so much has happened since then. They were married, in the process of moving into their own house and he was back in school. In six short months it looked like their lives were finally going in the right direction, and it was. So much to be thankful for…

The shrill ring of Fitz' cellphone brought him out of his reflections. He quickly retrieved the phone from his front pocket and swiped the screen.

"What's up, Dawg?" Harrison's deep voice boomed through the device.

"Harry, what's good?" Fitz returned animatedly.

"You up for some drinks tonight at our place downtown? Stephen's already down."

"Can't, man. Got an early day ahead of me tomorrow. The fam and I are going to Pensacola for a family reunion."

"Oh, shit, yea… I remember you said something about that. Didn't realize it's this weekend. Next time, man!"

"Yea, yea…definitely." Fitz bobbed his head, a habit of his.

"Alright, man, we'll talk later."

"Take two drinks for me," Fitz joked and Harrison chuckled.

"Oh, before I forget. My birthday is coming up and this year I want to go to the Keys. Think you can make it?"

Fitz mentally calculated if he could make it. Harrison's birthday was at the end of September, which would give him plenty of time to move and settle into the new house and enough time to have a brief getaway while Jasmine was still baking in the oven.

"Where would we be staying?" Fitz questioned, finding out if he would need money for a hotel room, because if he did, then that would make the decision that much easier to make. From the time he knew Harrison he always made a big deal out of his birthdays and being the best friend he was to him, he entertained him. However, with the addition of Olivia and then Jackson, he couldn't entertain him like he used to. He had priorities, family before party-animal best friend.

"I know a dude, rich fucker. His family has one of those little vacation homes down there, so we'll be staying there. We can leave after lunch the Friday and head back up Sunday morning."

This entire plan already sounds crazy to Fitz. "Who's the dude?"

"Remember I told you I'm friends with Derek Rose's nephew?"

"Oh…shit… yea." Fitz quickly affirmed, liking the sound of that.

"So, you down or what?"

"Hell, yea!" He agreed swiftly, knowing that Harrison and his friend weren't bullshitting him. He wouldn't pass up on the opportunity.

"Alright good. Shit gonna be popping!" Harrison exclaimed.

"Don't get too crazy, I'm a married man," Fitz stated good-naturedly as a forewarning, knowing how crazy Harrison's "popping" can get.

"Nah, man. We good and besides, I'm almost 30 so I'm growing up. Maturing so to speak."

Fitz snickered, "yea, right…"

"Whatever, man..."

A loud bang came through from the gym itself; sounding like someone had dropped a weight plate.

"I'll talk to you later, H." Fitz quickly stood.

"Alright. Peace." Harrison ended the phone call with his signature closing.

* * *

Friday morning came and Olivia was the first one to wake. The first thing she did was emptied her bladder for what seemed like the tenth time that morning. Long gone were the nights where she could sleep without waking up to pee. Since her first pregnancy that was an impossible feat, and even if she sometimes made it until morning, the urge would be so pressing that she would have to run to safely handle her business.

She yawned as she made her way from the bathroom to the kitchen. She poured water into the electrical kettle to be used for tea before opening the refrigerator and grabbed the carton of eggs.

As she prepared breakfast she went through her morning ritual of thanking and praising God for allowing her to see another. She would start by praying and then would lowly sing gospel songs. It brought her into the right frame of mind to start her day, when she connected with her creator.

By the time she was flipping the hard over eggs, she heard soft footsteps approaching. She turned just in time to see her man. His messy bedhead and bare torso immediately caused her pulse to pick up its pace.

"Good morning, Livvie," he greeted in a raspy tone.

"Morning, baby," Olivia returned, switching off the heat beneath the skillet. She melted when he walked towards her in that sexy swagger of his, and enveloped her in a bear hug, nestling his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent deeply.

"I missed you last night," she could hear the pout in his voice. By the time he'd gotten home she was already in the land of dreams.

"I missed you, too." And it was the truth; she missed their pillow talks and reading the bible together. Ever since that night he asked her to read it to him, it was now sort of expected. She would read and he would listen, and then a short discussion would follow. She liked their new ritual because it was bringing them closer, and that meant a lot to her.

They stayed in their embrace for a few more seconds before pulling apart.

"Anything I can help with?" Fitz asked, looking around to see what's to be had for breakfast.

"Uhh… You can toast a few slices of bread, please," Olivia offered.

"Got it."

The two moved in a learned synchronization as they finished making breakfast. Still very early the day, Olivia allowed Jackson a few more minutes of sleep, knowing how crucial it was for him to get his full eight hours. By the time they were ready to eat Olivia went and wake him. A sleepy Jackson walked beside his mother, rubbing his sleepy eyes recurrently. Fitz took over and hoisted him and placed him to sit in his high chair, planting a good morning kiss on his plump cheek before claiming his spot next to him.

The Grants ate breakfast unhurriedly, mostly in silence. It was much too early for plenty of chatter. When the final sip of tea was drunk and the final piece of bread ate, they cleared the table and Olivia quickly did the dishes. There was no way she was going to leave them while being away for 3 days.

While Olivia showered, Fitz assisted Jackson with his in the guest bathroom. Approximately 25 minutes later, and all parties were ready. Olivia wore a strapless floral printed maxi dress paired with a simple T-strap coral sandals, her hair was freshly moisturized and in a semi-messy bun atop her head. Aside from her wedding band and engagement ring, she wore a thin gold necklace and small gold studs in her ears and light makeup. Fitz dressed JT in his favorite green Ninja Turtle T-shirt with gray shorts and black and white Nike trainers. Olivia combed through his curls and rubbed a dab of hair moisturizer to tame it. She loved his curly hair and always begged Fitz to not cut his hair but he never listened. He didn't want people taking him for a girl, in which she rolled her eyes at.

As Fitz loaded their bags Olivia admired the way her husband's biceps flexed against the tight arms of his short-sleeved denim button down shirt, which was paired with green chinos and white sneakers. He looked handsome and yummy… So yummy…

"You look so handsome," she crooned, standing to the side of him in a 45-degree angle. The temperature was perfect; the sun hadn't fully risen as yet to heat up the place.

He stopped his movements and gave her a wink, which only made her blood hotter.

Jackson stood to the side of his mother, animatedly playing with his hulk figurine, oblivious to them.

"Come here," Olivia beckoned with the curl of her right index finger, when the last of the bags were securely placed inside of the trunk. Fitz sauntered over to her with a devilish smirk.

"How may I help you?" he asked, cheekily, now standing in front of her.

Olivia gave him a small smile before wrapping an arm around his neck and pulled him down for a quick kiss. She kissed him chastely on the lips several times, despite wanting it to last longer, much longer, but knew they didn't have time for that if they were going to make an early start. So she allowed the short contacts of his soft lips to suffice for the time being.

"You could've waited up last night," he teased, giving her a knowing look.

"Don't remind me," she let out a sound, a mixture of a groan and sigh.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you," he spoke seductively, biting his bottom lip in a sensual way that wasn't cliché. He did it well. Olivia had to take a deep breath to quell her rapidly pacing heart, and if that wasn't bad enough he gave her right butt cheek a really good squeeze. It felt incredible. He was only riling up her overactive hormones.

"Fitz…" Olivia warned.

"What?" he asked innocently, backing up. He opened the back door of the Camry to let Jackson in.

"You know what." She eyed him, ambling towards the passenger side of the car.

"Jackson, what's your mom talking about?"

As he was climbing into the car, JT shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno."

"Of course you don't. Do you know anything?" Fitz teased.

"Yesshh!" Jackson gave him a stern look, disliking the fact that his father was questioning his intellect.

"What do you know?" he challenged him.

Jackson looked at his father with knitted eyebrows and shouted "1 + 1 is 2!" He held up two crooked fingers for good measure.

"In your face!" Olivia laughed and stretched her hand downward for JT to high five, or in this case a low five.

"Face!" Jackson parroted, eagerly connecting his and his mother's palms.

Fitz palmed his face for good measures and said, "I guess I got served."

"You bet!"

Fitz and Liv looked at Jackson and laughed. It wasn't what he said but how he said it. His mannerism bordered on cute and quirky. He would have you laughing all day long.

Jackson was securely strapped in his car seat, Olivia in the passenger side and Fitz behind the wheel. Before they started their journey Olivia said a short prayer. "Father, I pray for a merciful journey. May you take us and bring us back safely. Amen."

"Amen."

"AmenT!" Snickers soon followed after that last amen resounded from the backseat. Like they said, Jackson would have you laughing all day.

* * *

An hour within the drive Jackson was fast asleep and Olivia had called her father to let him know that they were on their way. John and Jackie had left two hours before them. After she ended the phone call she and Fitz started talking about what they anticipate might happen at the reunion, and Olivia was telling him about some of her family members. It'd been so long since she'd seen them and the information might be outdated.

"So, you think your grandmother is going to like me?" Fitz asked, a tinge of concern found in his voice, thinking about the matriarch of the family.

Olivia nodded. "She'll adore you, trust me. She's nothing like my mom."

"That's good to know," he said in relief. He was already worrying about the what ifs, granted he would only be there for a day.

Olivia chuckled. "If you survived Jacqueline Eloise Thompson Pope, you'll survive everyone else.

"Ha! Good one."

"Mmmhmmm." Olivia smiled. She liked this, riding shotgun on I-75. It'd been so long she went out of town and it was nice to visit another place for a while. To think of it, it was a long time since she and Fitz went anywhere. Recently, they were stuck doing things at home, fitting in one on one time with each other here and there. Their schedules were so conflicting on top of other things, so they didn't get to spend a lot of time doing couple-y things. But they make the best of it.

"Babe?" Fitz' deep voice pulled her out of her reverie.

"Mmm?"

"We need to go on a honeymoon when Jazz get's here."

Olivia laughed.

"What's so funny?"

She continued laughing and shook her head. When she collected herself, she replied, "You won't believe it but I was just thinking about the last time we've been somewhere, just the two of us."

"I know… and, I'm sorry I can't afford to take you on vacations."

"Fitz, baby…it's ok. I understand. One day we'll be able to visit places we dream about, and even if we don't it's ok. You don't have to apologize for that. I see your effort and you do a lot, baby."

Fitz reached out his left hand and grabbed her hand in his and squeezed it tightly, feeling overcome by emotions.

"I don't know what I would do with out you. You're so understanding, Livvie, and I appreciate that. I appreciate that so much. As a man there's so much more I could be doing for our family, and I thank you for not beating me down. Honestly, some days I be stressing out about a lot of things and you know what helps keeps me grounded?"

His words were flowing out so heartfelt and Olivia couldn't help but tear up.

"What?" She sniffed.

"You. You make all the difference. You're my partner in life, my ultimate best friend. Do you know how incredible it feels to know that someone has your back?"

Olivia nodded her head. "I do." Even though he was staring ahead as he drive she could see the intense expression on his face.

"It's one of the greatest feelings in the world and I'm so glad I get to share it with you," he squeezed her hand tighter to convey his strong gratitude.

"It's my pleasure, and thank you, too."

Fitz lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it all the while staring the car in the middle lane of the highway. "I love you."

"Love you, too," she returned with a contented smile, wiping the corner of her eyes.

Silence covered them in a soft blanket until Fitz broke it.

"Now, that I've buttered you up I'll be going to the Keys at the end of next month for Harrison's birthday."

"Oh, really?" Olivia arched a questioning eyebrow at him, smirking.

Fitz chuckled. "Can I?" he changed the tone of his voice.

She placed an index finger on her temple. "Mmm… let me think about it. No!" She declined in faux sternness, which caused Fitz to laugh.

"So, I take that as a yes?"

"Maybe a yes, maybe a no," she replied playfully.

The rest of the journey went on in that same vain, playful banter between the two with the occasional restroom stops and then Jackson joined in the fun.

* * *

Pensacola was a waterfront city in the north of the U.S. state of Florida, separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Santa Rosa Island. Its protected beaches make it a popular holiday destination.

The Grants pulled up to their destination a little after 12 PM, eager to get out the car and stretch their legs. On that particular day the weather was well into the 90s. The air was salty from the breeze carrying the scent of the salty ocean water before them. They observed the expansive stretch of the white sandy beach and crystal blue waters. It was mesmerizing and already providing a tranquil experience. They admired the colorful vacation homes lying yards apart from each other.

Deciding that they'll unload their bags later, Olivia only took out her handbag. "Ready, guys?" She looked at her boys who were unusually quiet.

They nodded simultaneously.

They made their way to the house marked with the lot# 401, which was being used as the initial meet up place for the reunion. It had more space than the rest of the houses and would be used for much of the family gatherings.

Olivia held on to both Fitz' and Jackson hands as they entered through the front door. Loud talking and laughing could be heard and the smell of fish frying hit their noses as soon as they entered through the front door.

"OLIVIA!" Olivia looked up to see her cousin, Sharon, barreling down the stairs to her.

"Sharon." Olivia let go of the boys to embrace her cousin.

"You look good, girl!" Sharon gave her the once over.

"So do you," Olivia returned, admiring the mahogany beauty with straight ebony hair.

Sharon's eye flicked towards Fitz and Jackson expectantly.

Olivia rectified the situation and introduced them. "This is my husband, Fitzgerald and our son, Jackson. This is my cousin, Sharon."

Fitz proffered his right hand, "Nice to meet you, Sharon. You can call me Fitz."

"Nice to meet you, Fitz," Sharon returned, and turned to give Olivia an exaggerated wink. Olivia playfully rolled her eyes and swatted her arm.

"Behave!"

"Of course," Sharon returned lightheartedly. Now turning to Jackson she got down to his level and stretched out her hand. "Hi, Jackson," she coaxed with a gentle smile on her face.

Jackson gave her a tight smile before turning his face into Fitz' leg.

"He's shy when he meets new people," Olivia explained.

"Awww, that's ok. Don't be shy, baby. When you're ready I'll be right here. Ok?" Sharon spoke with childlike glee.

Jackson nodded his head, still gripping tightly onto his father's pants.

Getting up to her full height Sharon turned to Olivia. "He's so cute. And, look at you with bun number two in the oven. Fitz, you ain't playing games," she joked.

Short laughter erupted and Fitz and Olivia exchanged looks.

"Where's everyone?" Olivia asked.

"Charlene and her kids are settling in one of the vacation houses, most haven't arrived as yet though. Grandma is in the kitchen with Aunty Jackie, Aunty Beverly and Uncle John. They're frying fish," Sharon explained.

"I can tell," Olivia laughed.

They made their way to the fully loaded kitchen to see her parents, her mother's mother and sister sitting around the rectangular kitchen island.

As soon as JT saw his grandfather he let go of his father's hand and sprung forward to him. "Pop pop!" he called out.

"Hey, ma boy!" John got up from his seat and scooped the little boy into his arms and brought him against his chest before raining down kisses on his cheeks, which Jackson reveled in.

Meanwhile, as grandson and grandfather reconnected, Jackie got up from her seat and approached them. Surprisingly, she brought Olivia into a tight embrace before doing the same to Fitz. Olivia and Fitz subtly shared a look between each other, wondering what that was. Things were becoming to feel strange.

As Olivia made her way further into the kitchen her Aunt Beverly crushed her in a hug before giving her burgeoning belly a nice rub. "Liv, you look so beautiful, baby girl. WOW." Beverly admired her niece.

"Thanks, Aunty." But before she could say more Jackie interrupted.

"Ma, come meet my son in law. This is Fitzgerald, he's such a sweetheart." Jackie grabbed Fitz by the arm and pulled him over to her 78-year old mother. Grandma Mildred was a darling, dressed in a dark pink capri, paired with a sleeveless white button down shirt. Her salt and pepper hair perfectly combed in a low bun.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." Fitz accepted her soft hands within his.

"Oh my… you're a handsome one." Grandma M said and Fitz blushed. Turning to Olivia she said, "Livia, you picked good."

The room erupted into laughter. Grandma M had no shame and wasn't afraid to turn on the charm.

Squeezing Fitz' hand, Grandma M said, "we hug around here, son."

Fitz got low and loosely wrapped his arms around the petite woman. She was shorter than Olivia, who wasn't that tall to begin with.

The reunion continued but something was definitely strange, Olivia thought. Her mother being outright-ly nice was not a frequent occurrence. Jackie was proudly making introductions and playing the role of a fantastic mother, grandmother and mother in law. Who saw her would never know that there was ever hostility between them.

Fitz and Olivia kept up with her super nice mood even though it was strange as hell.

Later on as Fitz and Olivia went to grab their luggage, Fitz asked, "What just happened in there?"

Olivia bit back her laugh. "I have no idea. That was so strange…"

"Right!" Fitz exclaimed on the seam of laughter. "It was something straight out of American Horror Story. "

Olivia allowed her laughter to spill then. "You're terrible. It wasn't that bad."

Fitz raised both of his eyebrows at her without missing a step. "Your mother, my mother in law called me a sweetheart. Like, whaaaat? I feel like the world's about to end."

Olivia's laughter came out faster and louder. She held onto her belly for composure.

"I can't. This is going to be an interesting trip."

"That, I agree on," Fitz agreed, smiling.

…to be continued.

* * *

**AN: I always get so emotional when Fitz gets in his feels. I love writing a Fitz who isn't fully there yet. Normally, we always have a financially secured Fitz but not this time. He's still making strides so be patient with him. He and Olivia support each other in all things, while Jackson continues to be a riot. LOL. So, the Grants are at the reunion and Jackie is already acting a fool. She's being so nice. Two faced? LOL.**

**Can't wait to read your thoughts!**

**Until next time,**

**XOXO**

***will revise later since I edited this half asleep, wanted to get something up asap* ;) **


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi! Enjoy!**

* * *

""For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."' John smiled once he was finished reading the well-known scripture verse, Jeremiah 29:11. It was the morning of day two of the family reunion and they were all congregated in the main house having morning devotion. Turning to the sea of faces, of all hues and shapes, John asked, "does God have a plan for everyone?

His sister in law, Beverly, affirmed, "Yes!" from her seat next to her husband, Frank.

"Ex…actly! He has a plan for _everyone_! Can somebody say a plan?" John expounded and the room chorused "a plan." He continued, "So whatever you're going through today believe that God has a plan for you. Not just any plan, but a _good_ plan. Believe it and be sure to receive God's blessing for your life."

"Amen!" Olivia's aunty Charlene shouted and it was resounded throughout the room. Pastor John Pope was in the building and they were having church at 7 AM in the morning.

John's hands were flailing in a similar manner they would whenever he preached. "And the good thing about God's plan is, that it will never fail. You can trust that whatever plan He has for you, will not fail. Believe in His providence, but don't use His providence as a cop out to not believe Him for more. I want you to trust and believe that whatever you want for your life God has a plan that is infinitely better. So instead of limiting yourself to what you can only see, trust in Him. So, let us pray."

After uttering a prayer that touched each and every heart within the hearing perimeter of his voice, John asked, "Is there anything you would like to say, Mama M?" He directed towards his mother in law who smiled in return.

"Of course," she answered, perched on her seat at the front of the half circle that they were all seated in. "It's good to know you still have that fire, John. That was wonderful, thank you." John smiled humbly. "Alright, let's move on to my favorite part. Who wants to go first?"

"What's that?" Fitz whispered to Olivia. They were seated on a small loveseat not too far from her parents with Jackson asleep in Fitz's lap. His head was nestled between the crook of his father's left elbow with one arm strewn across his chest and the other laying flat beside him.

"To say what you are grateful for," Olivia whispered back and grinned at his puzzled expression. "Just wait and see."

Just then Jackie spoke, "I'll go first." That got both Fitz and Olivia's attention. They were still pleasantly surprised that Jackie was still being super nice. All through last night's dinner she was being completely anti-Jackie, which was friendly, warm, funny and kind. But neither held their breaths because the true Jackie had to be in there somewhere and will be making an appearance soon.

"I'm grateful for my daughter and her family. Just a few months ago she and her longtime boyfriend, Fitzgerald," she turned and smiled at them. "They got married, albeit behind my back." She paused as if to collect herself. "Nonetheless, I'm happy that she's no longer shacking up."

Olivia felt her face become hot. She was mortified and could feel all eyes on her. Although all of what her mother had said was true, she didn't like that her mother intentionally aired out her dirty laundry in front of their family. She could sense Fitz's mood change as well because his body stiffened next to hers. As the next hour went by with other family members sharing their good news, new jobs, promotion, relationship success stories, clean bill of health, etc. Olivia could barely take it in. She was still reeling from her mother's latest stunt. So by the time she was asked to share something good that is going on in her life, she answered without much thought, "I'm so thankful that my husband and I were able to buy our first home." She paused and smiled when everyone started clapping for them and shouting congratulations before continuing. "However, I'm thankful that I am at a point in my life where I can honestly say that I am happy. I've learned to cut unnecessary baggage and people that brings me nothing but pain from my life and ever since, I've been happy. Really happy." Little did Jackie know, a part of that statement was for her. _Unnecessary baggage and people… aka you, mom, you!_

After the first segment of the day was completed those assigned to breakfast duties made their way to the kitchen, while those that weren't, made their way back to their rooms or wherever else they chose to be.

Fitz and Olivia were heading back to their room but Jackson who had woken up 5 minutes ago decided to stay behind with his grandfather. When they'd entered their room, one of four in the small villa they were renting, Fitz asked, "Are you ok?" He watched, as his wife not so gently toss her body atop the queen sized bed.

"No! I just want to sleep," she huffed, roughly fluffing the pillow underneath her head.

"You want to talk about it?" He walked to the bed and carefully sat next to her.

She exhaled loudly. "No, I'm just tired. I'm tired of her. This is what she always does I'll be fine. No need to rehash it."

"Livvie," Fitz called softly, rubbing her arm to get her attention. A few seconds passed and she finally met his gaze. "It's ok to not be ok. If you want to talk, then talk. I am all ears. If you want me to make her disappear, I'll make her disappear," he only half joked and that cracked a smile on her face.

Reaching for her hands, he took it in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss.

"Thank you," she said, already feeling better. "I really don't want to give my mother more time than she truly deserves. She's not worth it. We're here for a good time and that's what we'll do. Besides, I have you here for a few more hours before you and Jackson are heading south. So instead of talking about her, why don't you make do of that promise you gave me yesterday?" She leaned up a fraction on her elbows.

Fitz arched an eyebrow quizzically. "When I said I would _take_ care of you?"

Olivia smirked, "Take care of me, Papi." Her voice was husky and it did things to Fitz.

He growled deeply before pushing her to lie on her back and then covering her body with his. "Be quiet," were the last words he spoke.

* * *

After breakfast the entire family decided it would be nice to take a dip in the ocean.

"Nah uh, pull this up." Olivia frowned, as she tried to pull up Fitz's board shorts because it was showing off too much of his sexy V and she didn't want anyone else seeing it, family or not.

Fitz laughed, "Babe, it can't go any higher."

"Well, wear a shirt or something," she suggested.

Fitz laughed even more, his eyebrows dancing in merit as he moved away from her fussing hands. "I can't swim in a T-shirt, baby. Besides, I'm not telling you anything about your sexy swimsuit."

"My swimsuit is decent, grandmotherly even. Plus I'm pregnant, and nothing screams unsexy like a woman with a basketball sized belly in front of her."

Shaking his head in disagreement, Fitz countered, "Not true. You're one, fine ass, sexy pregnant woman."

Olivia blushed.

"And if you don't believe it, I don't mind giving you an encore of this morning's session," he smirked and she shook her head good-naturedly.

"Sunscreen?" she said, changing the topic as she uncapped the bottle of Banana Boat SPF 50 sunscreen that she grabbed from the foot of the bed. "Where's Jackson?" She looked around the room, realizing that he was missing.

"You're just now noticing his absence?" Fitz laughed.

"Yea. Where is he?"

"He left to go play with Bridon and his brothers."

"Oh." She was happy that he was having fun with her Aunt Charlene's kids even though they were much older than him.

* * *

Everyone was having a good time splashing around in the water, minus Grandma M and Jackie. Grandma M had arthritis in her hips so she didn't move around too much. Fitz was currently towing Jackson on his back in the deep while some of the older folks played a modified game of water polo. Olivia on the other hand was leisurely floating around on her back, her stomach high in the air.

Fitz was treading water when he felt his belly starting to rumble, not in the 'I am hungry kind of way'. "Oh, oh."

"Oh oh what, daddy?" JT asked curiously from behind him, his little arms wrapped around his neck tightly, as he was instructed

"Daddy needs to use the big boy's room."

"Nah uh. Do it wite here," JT advised and Fitz turned his head partially so that he could see his face.

"You urinated in the water?" Fitz asked, amused.

"Yesh!" He answered unashamedly. "Just now!"

"Seriously, Jackson? You peed on me?" Fitz questioned, laughing loudly as he made his way back in closer to where the others were. The water was nice, warm and calm so he wasn't afraid of going a little out in the deep with JT on his back, because he had him wearing a life jacket for extra security.

"Noooooo! I wee wee in the water!"

Fitz couldn't combat him on that one so he laughed as he swam.

Making his way up to Olivia who were now surrounded by two of her cousins, Kesha the nineteen year old college student who was her uncle's Timothy only child, Tiffany the twenty five year old who was Sharon's little sister, and her two aunts Beverly and Charlene. He'd learned that Olivia's grandmother had 5 children, three girls and two boys. Sadly, Sharon and Tiffany's father passed away a few years ago in a car accident. Beverly had no children and she was the eldest out of the bunch, then her deceased brother Samuel, Jackie was third, Timothy the fourth and Charlene the youngest with three children ages 9, 12 and 16. In all there were a total of 7 grandchildren. Not a lot but more than what Fitz's side of the family accounted for since both of his parents were only child.

He passed over a happy, wet haired Jackson to his wife and told her that he had to use the restroom, in which she gave him a knowing look. She did implore him to ease up on the custard porridge they had for breakfast but he couldn't resist, since it was too delectable. But a few hours later it was upsetting his stomach since he had.

Fitz decided to use the main house since it was much closer than theirs. Since he'd dried himself off on the way with the beach towel Olivia had brought down he was relatively dry by the time he arrived there. Jackie and her mother were seated on the patio watching the procession of actives going on, on the beach and in the water. Fitz briefly greeted them before continuing his journey to the porcelain throne.

A few minutes after handling her business he made his way back out and decided to hang out a little bit with the women on the patio.

"So, Fitz, how did you and Olivia met?" Grandma M asked.

Ignoring Jackie's curious look, Fitz hugged the long towel slung around his neck that provided him a bit of modesty and answered, "We met at the gym I work at. She'd just joined the gym and I was her trainer. So we got to talking. And you know, I found her very beautiful and she seemed like a really nice woman so I pursued her until she relented."

Mama M began laughing heartily, her cheeks visibly reddening from the exertion. "Knowing my granddaughter that was an entirely long process. So how long it took you to woe, I mean pursue her?" She might've been 78-years-old but she was as sharp as a tack.

"It took me months before she finally said yes to go on a date with me." Fitz shook his head at the memory, smiling slightly.

"Really?" Jackie piped in, with a smile nonetheless, shocking Fitz again.

"Yea, she made me work for her time." Fitz watched as Jackie's smile turned even brighter as if she was pleased with her daughter, so he continued. "My Livvie is a great woman, and deserved every bit of energy and time I had to put in. And even more," he confessed proudly. He watched as the women nodded in agreement with smiles on their faces. He didn't know if Jackie was just putting up a front in front of her mother or if she was finally seeing that his and Olivia's relationship was meant to be, it was right, it was good and most importantly, it was filled with love. He loved his wife dearly and wasn't afraid to shout it from the rooftops.

* * *

"Jackson, don't move out of the circle," Olivia warned her son for the second time, referring to the makeshift circle that her and the other women had made with their bodies. Sharon had joined them a few minutes ago, so she was the sixth wall of protection for the floating little boy.

"He's so adorable, Liv," Tiffany stared at him with googly eyes. "I want one of him."

"No, you don't, Tiffany," Sharon rebuffed at her younger sister before Olivia could reply. "Can't have a baby if you don't have a j-o-b," she spelt out.

"Gosh, what is it with you Thompson women? Are insulting people your middle name? First Aunty Jackie, now you Sharon. Shame, shame…" Kesha shook her head in disappointment, her long box braids swooshing in the calm, salty water with the movement.

"That's not insulting, that's telling it like it is," Sharon defended.

"No, it's not. All Tiffany said was that she wanted a son like Jackson and you brought up all this information that no one asked for."

Jackson turned to look at Kesha when he heard his name and Olivia almost laughed at his raised eyebrows. He was too quirky.

"Thank you," Tiffany said stiffly, her feelings were hurt but she tried to not make a big deal out of it. For the past six or so months she was staying at her sister because she had lost her Marketing job at a small advertising company. It wasn't ideal but it was better than staying at her mother whose house was overflowing with their younger siblings.

"Thanks for explaining, Ms. Know It All," Sharon quipped with an eye roll at Kesha.

"Really, Sharon? How old are you? 5?" Kesha raised her voice.

"Ok, ladies, enough." Their Aunt Beverly interrupted because Kesha was getting riled up. Everyone knew that when it came to defending someone, as young as she was, Kesha wasn't afraid to speak out. She was the new generation of bold, who didn't stand silently while watching other people get wronged. She was going to speak up even if her voice trembled.

Olivia watched the exchange in silence while gently pulling and pushing Jackson by the string on his life jacket. The bickering of family, she didn't miss. At. All. Jackie did enough of that.

* * *

It was a little after noon and Olivia was beginning to feel sad. In a few minutes Fitz and Jackson would be leaving for Miami. She was dreading it but did her best to not appear affected.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Fitz asked, as he slung his overnight bag over his left shoulder and picked up Jackson's small Lightning McQueen carryon.

"I wish but I can't. Already promised to be here. I'm going to miss you, though," Olivia admitted softly.

Fitz wrapped his arm around her and whispered, "I'll miss you too. Enjoy your time with your family. I'll see you tomorrow night. Ok?"

"Ok," she sighed. They exited the room and went to get Jackson who was playing again with Charlene's kids. He wasn't pleased at first to leave his game of tag but quickly relented when he was reminded that he was going to see Aunty Teesa. Fitz made his rounds telling everyone it was nice meeting them and smiled when Grandma M said, "you're a good man, Fitz. Don't be a stranger now." He promised that he wouldn't while thinking that he didn't know when again he would be doing this.

After packing their bags into the trunk of the car, Fitz ambled over to his wife and hugged her tightly before planting a sound kiss on her mouth. "I'll call you when we reach. In the meantime, have fun. I love you, Sweet Baby." She smiled then at her intimate nickname.

"I love you too." They shared another short kiss before she moved to Jackson and peppered his face with kisses. "I love you, baby. Be a good boy for daddy, ok?"

"Otay."

"Love you," she said again.

"Love you, mommy!" He waved bye before climbing through the open door of the backseat. She watched as Fitz buckled him in. Once he was finished, he moved to her and kissed her lips again, slipping in a little tongue before pulling apart. Patting her round belly, he said lowly, "and you behave too, Miss Jasmine. Don't give mommy a hard time."

Olivia smiled contentedly on an exhaled breath, watching as he turned and moseyed over to the driver's side.

A few short seconds later, she watched as the car came alive and was slowly backing out, leaving her alone with her thoughts in the small parking space.

Cupping the underside of her belly, Olivia murmured, "I guess it's just you and I Jazzy Blue."

* * *

**Author's Note: Honestly, this chapter was to be so much longer but I decided to stop here for now. Thought it would be nice to give you an update now rather than much later. Hope you liked it. Please review and check out my Tumblr page that I created to showcase visuals of my stories, Kiki-Writes. Can't wait to read your thoughts about the chapter! :)**

**Until next time,**

**XOXO.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note: I truly and dearly appreciate all of my readers. Your reviews are awesome! Here's a new update, I had to make up for the short chapter I uploaded previously. We pick up right where we left off. Please enjoy!**

* * *

"So, Liv. What is it like being with a white guy, a very handsome one too? Is it like weird?" Tiffany asked curiously.

Olivia sipped her lemon honey tea while studying her cousin over the rim of the warm red cup. She, Tiffany, Sharon and Kesha were gathered in the seating area of the small villa they were all temporarily occupying. It was 9 PM. After dinner everyone had broken up into smaller groups leaving the ladies to themselves. For the past half hour or so they chitchatted about everything and nothing. Well, they did Olivia mostly sat and listened. To tell the truth, her mind was in another world, a world where she was waiting for her husband to call. Based on the distance she knew that they hadn't arrived in Miami as yet, and would do so around 9:30 PM.

Forcing her mind to be present she shrugged her slender shoulders and answered, "I guess normal. He's just Fitz to me and I'm Olivia to him. Our skin colors are different, yes, but so much of who we are as a person is the same. Our relationship is much more than what we look like." She surmised.

"So did you have to do something extra to get his attention or he just saw you and like you? The guy is hot! I mean you're hot too and you make a good looking couple but I want to know what did it for him," Tiffany gushed and Olivia raised her eyebrows suspiciously, as she thought about her answer.

"Umm… It's simple physics. He saw something he liked and went after it. Simple as that."

"Really? Gosh, because I've been crushing on this white guy for the longest while, but he isn't making a move. Hmmm." Tiffany pursued her full lips in contemplation.

Olivia looked at her cousin and was about to speak on her obsessive longing to be in an interracial relationship. It wasn't cute at all the way she has been obsessing over wanting kids that looked like Jackson all weekend, but before she could speak Sharon's loud mouth boomed in.

"Fitz is cute and all but I would never give up some chocolate for vanilla. Never!" Sharon sanctioned, taking a generous sip of her pink Moscato.

"Interesting," Kesha piped in, her hands were rhythmically running up and down her long braids and it somewhat provided a tranquil feeling for Olivia, a contrast from the agitation the two sisters were giving her. Kesha was so beautiful. Tall, curvy body, high cheekbones with full lips and her complexion the perfect color of cinnamon. She always looked radiant and glowing. And the fact that she had a good head on her shoulders made Olivia admire her even more.

"What's interesting, girl?" Olivia cringed at the way Sharon casually tossed out the word girl as a mean to belittle their younger cousin. Because she was the oldest Sharon always thought she was the wisest, and therefore, no one can tell her anything, especially Kesha since she was still a baby in her eyes. But little did she know Kesha was wise beyond her years.

"I'm going to ignore you called me a girl because quite frankly, I-D-G-A-F," Kesha abbreviated, tossing her braids over her shoulder.

To quell any more potential falling out, Olivia chimed in, "Shar, if you found a man that you really liked and he so happened to not be black, wouldn't you go for it?" She was truly curious to find out her answer. As a 33-year-old black American woman working in corporate America Olivia was curious to hear what her cousin had to say. Sharon was once engaged to a corporate banker but things fizzled out when she found him cheating on her. That was over 5 years ago and ever since then she complained about there being no "good" men left.

Olivia watched as Sharon took another generous sip, before the night was out she was sure to be drunk, Liv thought.

"I honestly don't know. I just don't want to date outside my race. I don't care for the drama that comes with interracial relationships."

"I understand where you're coming from and it is ok to have preference, and sometimes there is drama because of the simple fact two people from different races decides to love each other and that sucks because it is 2015. But at the end of the day the love between two people outweighs all of the bad and that is what matters. However, my concern is with you allowing your preference to dictate your life. You can't sit down twiddling your thumbs for another black man to notice you when there might be potential elsewhere. Choose who you want to choose but don't close out yourself from men whose skin tones are different from you just because they're not black. If the qualities you are looking for in a man is there, then why not?" Olivia asked passionately.

"Amen, sista!" Kesha clapped like she was in church.

"Preach!" Tiffany chorused in.

"That's why I love them black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Latino, you name it. I taste the skittles, _honey_!" Kesha sassily snapped her fingers two times to get her point across.

Sharon rolled her eyes at the three of them, she had made up her mind and nobody was going to deter her. "Besides, white men have small penises."

Olivia choked on her tea and began coughing to expel the discomfort. Tiffany who was nearby assisted by gently tapping her back and it was helping. _How was that even possible?_ Olivia thought as she tried to figure out the science of it. Once she was collected and the urge to cough had diminished, she turned towards Sharon who was again taking a sizeable sip of wine. _She's going to be drunk_ was all Olivia could think when she returned, "Not all stereotypes are true and you should know that Sharon. More importantly, stereotypes put everyone of a particular demographic, be it race, ethnicity or belief into the same box, and what goes for one doesn't go for all. So what you said may be applicable to some but _definitely _not all."

"So what you're saying without saying is, Fitz is packing?" Tiffany implored.

"I'm not saying anything," Olivia deadpanned. She was definitely not going to go into details with these women about the size of her husband's penis. That wasn't for them to know. But if they had to know she would've screamed _big, very big!_

"Come on! Throw us a bone or something. I have to live vicariously through you, since nothing is going on in my life," Tiffany whined.

Just before Olivia could dispel any further queries about Fitz's weiner her cellphone started to ring. Looking down at the device in her lap she read her husband's name on the screen. "Excuse me," Olivia mumbled, getting up quickly, surprising herself at her effortless agility with a 6 months pregnant belly.

"Oooo. Get it girl!" she heard them shouting after her retreating body, which made her shake her head good-naturedly.

"Hey, baby," Olivia answered brightly, lighting up for the first time in hours since they left.

"Hey," she listened to his deep gravelly voice and the ache inside of her chest intensified. It was crazy how much she missed her boys. The thought almost made her cry. She entered the room that the three of them had shared the night prior.

"We arrived safely. Jackson is fast asleep. I didn't even bother waking him up for a bath. I wiped him off and put on his pajamas. Hopefully he sleeps through the night."

She smiled into the semi dark room as envision him caring for their little nugget. "I miss you guys. I should've come," she spoke feeling regret and loneliness but she quickly pushed it away. Inhaling sharply, she continued, "How's everyone doing? How's Theresa?"

"She's super excited we're here. Her mom threatened to cancel her birthday party tomorrow if she didn't go to bed."

Olivia laughed, imagining the little girl creating a raucous when it was passed her bedtime. "Wait till Jackson is up tomorrow it's going to be grand."

Fitz groaned and she smiled at the deep timbre of it. "They're going to drive me up the wall. By the way, your son is a trip."

"What did he do now?" Olivia chuckled, rolling on her side to get more comfortable.

"He told me and I quote 'I see mommy's vag-nuh' end of quote."

"Ohmygawd," Olivia laughed before explaining, "You know how I keep the bathroom door unlocked when only the two of us are home? Anyway, so last week I was using the toilet and he walked in while I was pulling up my undies, but before I could get him through the door he pointed down there and asked what is that, so I told him my vagina and he called it a vag-nuh." Olivia laughed again.

Fitz's laughter boomed through the phone and it only made Olivia laugh even more because of the infectiousness of it.

"The thing is he said it so randomly. We had stopped for gas and I was filling up the tank when he looked up from the backseat and told me the story, like it was something he just remembered," Fitz recounted after his laughing spell simmered.

Olivia chuckled, "That's Jackson Thomas Grant for ya!"

"I know right. I wonder if Jasmine will have the same sense of humor, she better do because she has all this Jackson goodness to deal with."

Olivia smiled at the thought of her two children bonding and her hands instantly gravitated towards her belly where she could feel the small fluttery movements of her little girl. _15 weeks to go_, she thought.

On a sigh she uttered, "I miss you guys. I know it's only been a few hours but it's a few hours too long." Her voice wasn't whiney but it definitely was melancholy.

"I miss you too, baby, very much. We'll be home soon. In the meantime enjoy your grandmother and the rest of your family."

She smiled at his gentle urgings. "I will, and you do the same. Be there for your sister and tell her we can't wait for her to visit." Theresa was no longer coming for the summer but they decided to have her over for the Labor Day weekend when they would have completed their move. Olivia had convinced Fitz that it was better because having his sister stay at his mother wouldn't work since they were supposed to be the host, and being a mother herself, Olivia knew that Jenny would feel better if her daughter wasn't staying at her husband's ex. Eventually, Fitz relented after seeing reason.

"Roger that. What are you up to right now?"

"Talking to you but before this I was chatting with my cousins."

"Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting you. Do you want me to get off the phone now?"

"No!" Olivia said a bit eagerly. "No, please don't go. I want to talk to you." She was sounding needy and she didn't even care about it. She wanted to keep talking to her love. "What are you doing?"

She listened to him exhale before saying, "I'm in bed talking to the most beautiful woman in the world."

She blushed.

"Is that all you're doing?" Mischief pronounced in her voice.

"What else could I be doing, Mrs. Grant?" Her heart skipped a beat, as it would every time he called her Mrs. Grant. She absolutely loved it.

"I don't know, reading up game stats on your phone while talking to me," she said casually but knowingly. Knowing her husband she could almost picture him in only pajamas bottom and maybe a white T-shirt, his ear plugs in while he was talking to her and reading up game stats. She'd never come across a man that loved all sports so much. And because of it she believed that he chose the right program to onset his career in the sports world as an athletic trainer.

He chuckled, "guilty as charged. You know me _too _well."

"It's my job," she retorted. "And speaking of my job, tell me more of this Key West trip."

Olivia was so engrossed with talking to her husband that she'd forgotten about the party of 3 on the other side of the bedroom door. So by the time his snores cut off her rambling about Jasmine being born on her birthday, December 1st, rather than the November 26th due date she was given, she whispered him a sweet good night even though he couldn't reciprocate and ended the call

* * *

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Theresa! Happy birthday to you!" Fitz sang to his sister as soon as her pajamas cladded figure popped out of her bedroom and made an appearance in the modern living room. He enveloped her tightly and spun her around in his arms as she let out a squeal of delight.

"Thanks, Fitz," she chortled once he settled her back onto her feet. Fitz looked down at her small face sprinkled with freckles and smiled.

"You're welcome, baby sis." In his mind he was thinking that he really needed to be a better big brother for his sister. He loved her no doubt but he wanted to be more involved in her life and he was going to make a special effort to do so.

"Ok, I have a gift for you from Olivia. Do you want to open it now or later?"

She clasped her hands together and squealed, "Now. Please…"

Her mother Jenny entered the room then and Fitz gave her a questioning look, silently asking if it was ok and she smiled her consent. It was weird being in a house with his father and a woman who wasn't his mother but it wasn't overtly bad. Jennifer was a very nice woman and in some ways she softened his dad. He excused himself from mother and daughter and made his way into the room he and Jackson slept in for Theresa's birthday gift. Since it was a little after 7 in the morning Fitz had expected Jackson to still be sleeping but instead he came upon the scene of his son taking off his clothes in the middle of the room. He'd already shed his pants and underwear and was struggling with his T-shirt.

"Hey, morning, bud. What you doing?" He asked, moving closer to him.

In between struggling to pull his plain T-shirt over his head, Jackson said, "I wee wee in my seep."

_Shit. _Fitz had forgotten to put on a pair of pull-ups on him last night. "Oh no, J. Here, let me." Fitz helped him strip down from the rest of his pee soaked clothes. Once he was naked Fitz carried him off to the conjoined bathroom and turned on the shower. After it was heated he gently lifted his son into the bathtub and began washing him off. They did this in silence, as Jackson wasn't fully alert and Fitz was concentrating on the task at hand. Then, when they were finished Fitz wrapped him in one of the fluffy blue towels from behind the bathroom door. He dried his skin, applied his baby lotion and dressed him for the morning in a pair of green basketball shorts and a white sleeveless top.

Retrieving Theresa's gift from his overnight bag he gave it to Jackson. "Please take this to your aunty and tell her happy birthday. Today is her birthday," Fitz explained, getting up to clean the mess his son made.

"Otay," Jackson nodded before sprinting out the room.

"Slow down," Fitz called but he was already out the door. Fitz then began stripping the sheets off the bed praying that the pee didn't seep into the mattress. Fortunately, he noticed that the mattress had a waterproof cover over it so it was saved and he was relieved. With the soiled sheets bundled up in his hands Fitz exited the room.

He followed the trail to the living room where he could hear Jackson and Theresa talking. The two were busy going over Theresa's birthday presents that they didn't pay him any mind.

"What you got there?" Jenny asked from one of the pillow-decorated chairs.

"I need to wash these because Jackson had an accident last night, I'm so sorry," Fitz expressed his remorse.

"No need to be sorry, accidents happens. Let me grab them from you and I'll toss it in the wash," Jenny said, getting up with open hands.

Fitz let her collect the mostly dried sheets from him. "Thank you. I checked the mattress already and it's dry."

"Oh good," Jenny smiled before leaving the room.

"You like your present?" Fitz turned and asked Theresa. Olivia had bought her a colorful butterfly bracelet that came with colorful butterfly hair clips, a butterfly-covered diary and a small storybook about the different types of butterfly. Theresa loved butterflies so it was no surprise that it was the theme for her birthday party.

"I loveee it. Can you call Liv, I want to tell her thanks," the little girl beamed.

"Of course." Checking the time Fitz decided to give it a try as she might be awake.

"Come JT," Fitz beckoned for his son and he quickly ran over to him.

* * *

Olivia was woken up by the shrill sound of her cellphone ringing. Without checking the caller ID she answered the call. "Hello," her sleep muffled voice sounded.

"Mommy wake up! It's Aunty Teesa birf-day!" The sharp sound of her toddler's voice pushed away the remnants of sleep. "Mommy?" Jackson called again when she didn't answer him.

"Hey, baby," was all she could get out before he said, "Are you coming to the paw-tee?" She snickered at his mispronunciation. "No, baby. Remember mommy is way up in Pensacola? I'll see you at home tonight though."

"Oh, thought you is cow-ming…." She knew he was pouting from the sound of his voice. In the background she heard Fitz telling him to hand over the phone to his aunty but he was none too happy to end their conversation, so she asked, "Are you being a good boy for daddy?"

"Yesh," he answered simply.

"That's really good, I'm so proud of you. I love you, Jackson."

"I love you too, mommy. Aunty Teesa wants to talk. Hold on, ok?"

"Ok," Olivia smiled.

"Don't go anyway, wite?"

She smiled even wider, "right."

The shuffling sound of the phone being moved around came through the speakers until she heard a soft, "Good morning, Olivia."

"Good morning, sweetheart. A huge happy birthday to you! I hope you enjoy this incredible day and may it be filled with lots of love and happiness. Muah. Muah." Olivia made kissy noises.

"Thank you," Theresa earnestly replied. "And thank you so much for the gifts. I love it love it!"

Olivia beamed, rolling onto her back before settling a casual palm over her belly. "You're welcome, sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too, Olivia. Do you want to talk to Fitz?"

"Eh, I guess so," Olivia joked and Theresa laughed.

"Ok, hold on," she said before passing the phone to Fitz.

"Hey, baby," Fitz answered lowly once the phone was cradled in his hand and pressed against his ear.

"Hey… How is it going? You fell asleep on me last night."

"No, I didn't. That's not possible if I'm here and you're there," he wisecracked in reply.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Funny. You're a funny man, Fitzgerald."

"I've been told so a few times so I'm glad you finally recognize that."

Rolling her eyes with a smirk splayed on her lips Olivia said, "whatever… Tell me the plans for the day?"

"Party starts at 1 and should end by 4, 4:30. We'll leave here around 6 and should be home by 9."

"Ok, take lots of pictures for me please."

"Will do. Anything else I can help you with?" Fitz implored sweetly.

"No, dear. I'm heading back to sleep. Kiss my son for me and tell Big Jerry and Jenny hello."

"Already did. We'll talk later, I love you."

"I love you too, honey. Later." After ending the call she threw the phone on the empty spot besides her before burrowing her body deeper into the mattress looking to get comfortable again. Just as she was feeling the fingertips of slumber a loud knock sounded on her bedroom door.

"Liv! It's Aunty Charlene, can you come out for a second?" The voice spoke in a hush shout.

Olivia groaned and picked up her phone to see the time. It was barely 8 AM. Her plan to get up at 9:30 was futile but it was probably a good idea she got up now since they had to checkout at 12.

"Ok. Give me a minute," Olivia returned. She got up as gracefully as she possibly could before moving to the adjoined bathroom to relieve her full bladder. Afterwards she washed her face and brushed her teeth quickly. Dressed in a pair of plaid shorts and one of Fitz's old T-shirts she made her way to open the bedroom door.

Upon opening the bedroom door the sight of light pink balloons greeted her as they were tied on the doorknob. That only began to pique her curiosity because the further she moved towards the small living room section the more curious she became. More balloons greeted her along the hallway and when she got to the living room she was startled when the room full of women shouted, "surprise!" Olivia looked around the room to see her mom front and center, her grandmother sitting in a chair to her right, Sharon, Tiffany and Kesha were all standing, while her aunts Beverly and Charlene occupied the chair to the left. In the middle of the floor she noticed several gift bags and boxes wrapped in pink, yellow and white paper.

"What's going on?" Olivia asked confused.

Jackie moved to Olivia and hugged her before pulling back, but she kept her hands on Olivia's shoulder. "This my dear, is a surprise baby shower. I thought it would be nice to celebrate with you as a family so I had asked the ladies for help in doing so. I hope you don't mind."

Olivia looked into her mother's cheerful face, her eyes crinkled at the corner from the wide, genuine smile on her face. This was the nicest thing she'd ever done for Olivia and the realization made her teary eyed.

"It's more than fine, thank you." It was no surprised that her voice cracked from raw emotions coursing through her body because she was overwhelmed, awed, speechless, dazed, overcome... For the next hour or so Olivia was in a daze as she learned that her mother had been planning this shower for over a month. The gifts she received were all lovely. She received baby clothes for her daughter, mostly basics and a few pretty dresses, baby bottles and other small apparatus that would be needed. Sharon was overly generous in her contribution of a year supply of diapers, beyond generous Olivia had said as she opened the box with the IncrediBundle certificate attached to a brown teddy bear. Charlene gave her a $300 Target gift card to buy a stroller and car seat. She received a small monetary gift from her Aunt Beverly. Her grandmother got her one of those baby bullets since she was into healthy eating and insisted that it would come in hand when Jasmine started eating solids along with a check for $500. Last but not least, Jackie produced a pink stuff elephant with a small card attached to it. Her gift was to buy the furniture for her granddaughter's room. Olivia was overcome and tears were running down her face in a torrent.

"I don't know what to say," She sobbed. She was truly touched by the kind gesture.

"Say thank you, baby. That's all. You're a good woman and like your husband said, you deserve the best. We are so happy to be able to bless you in this way," Grandma M said, which only made Olivia cry even harder. So many thoughts were going through her head but mainly the timeliness of the gifts. It couldn't have come at a better time. _Thank God!_

Wiping the fallen teardrops from her face with the back of her hands Olivia looked directly at her mother and said, "thank you. I am incredibly grateful for each and every one of you. And I know we don't come together a lot or we don't talk to each other a lot and so many other factors that do not make us a close family. But today what you all have done for me surpassed what a close family does. I feel the love in this room. Mom, thank you. Thank you for doing this for me. Sometimes I question your love for me but today I realize that I shouldn't. We have our differences but I want you to know that I love you. Each and every one of you, I love you all so much. So thank you, thank you very much." By the time Olivia was finished there was not a single dry eye in the room. The ladies stood and hugged each other, telling each other how much they are loved. It was truly an unforgettable moment, as overpowering emotions took them over. There they were, some still in nightclothes with their heads covered with silk scarfs or hair bonnets, showering love.

Olivia saved the last hug for her mother and they held on tightly. So many of her mother's ways she didn't understand. One minute she was here and the next she was over there. But in that moment Olivia felt hope, that maybe their relationship can be more than hostility. She wanted to explore a loving relationship between her mother and herself. And maybe, just _maybe _this might be the chance. A fresh start a new beginning.

"I love you, mom."

"I love you too, Livia, even if you my actions do say so."

* * *

Temperature was well into the 80s and Fitz was grateful for the coolness his outfit provided. He and Jackson had dressed alike down to their sunglasses, something he got kicks out of. He could only imagine that Olivia will be feeling the same once Jasmine is born.

They were at a botanical garden for Theresa's birthday party and were doing final preparations before the guests start arriving. Fitz helped his dad and Jenny pour drinks into small butterfly designed cups for the thirty children that were attending the party in the next ten or so minutes. At the time, Theresa was running around an open field with Jackson, her summer dress moving in the wind giving her an angelic appearance while Jackson ran behind her screaming like a banshee. _My son. _Fitz thought shaking his head.

"Hey son, can you help me grab the rest of stuff from the car?" Big Gerry asked, pulling Fitz out of his musings.

"Sure," Fitz followed him out to the parking lot to grab the candy filled butterfly piñata and other party decoration that was supposed to go on the rental tables.

"It's a shame Olivia couldn't be here," Big Gerry said casually as he unlocked the trunk with a click of his keychain.

"She wanted to but she had her family reunion to go to," Fitz offered.

"Mmm." Fitz looked over to Big Gerry but couldn't fully read him because a pair of Ray Ban aviators shielded his blue eyes.

"What?" Fitz queried, before hauling the fairly heavy piñata from the trunk of his father's silver Lincoln.

"I just hope she's not bullying you."

Scrunching up his face, Fitz questioned, "Why would you think that?"

Big Gerry could hear the disapproving tone in Fitz's voice and raised his hands nonthreateningly. "I just know that those kind of women can be very aggressive and like to wear the pants in relationships and I hope that's not what Olivia is doing to you." Fitz tried to interrupt him but Big Gerry shook his head and continued, "Before you go off on a tangent, please know I'm not trying to insult you or Olivia. I'm just curious as to why you were able to go to her family reunion but she couldn't come down here to celebrate your sister's birthday. From the outside it looks a little unfair and one-sided if you asked me."

Fitz was taken back by his father's very candid remark. Taking a deep breath he replied, "First of all, _dad, _I don't appreciate you casting a stereotype onto my wife. That is so uncool and borderline racist. If you would hang around us more you would know exactly the type of woman Olivia is. Secondly, she couldn't come down here because she is very pregnant with my child, _your_ grandchild. Do you think it's comfortable to be pregnant with a baby pressing on your bladder and having to sit in a car for 9 plus hours? If you don't know, let me tell you that it isn't. I appreciate your misguided concern for me but please know it isn't warranted. My relationship with my _wife _is very much ok. Besides, aren't you a little unqualified to share marital advice since you're a divorcee?" Fitz knew that it was below the belt but he couldn't help it. He disrespected his wife and it was reflex for him to return the sentiment.

Big Gerry shook his head at his son. "You gotta let that shit go, Fitzgerald. Your mother and I have moved passed that so I recommend you do the same."

"Whatever," Fitz shrugged with an agitated shake of his head before picking up the piñata and making his way back to the open area where they were keeping the party. For his sister's sake he put on a wide smile and pretended he was happy to be there when it was the farthest thing from the truth.

* * *

After a teary filled goodbye and a promise to talk more regularly Olivia and her parents packed up their SUV with their luggage and the gifts from the baby shower and made their exit from Pensacola. During the ride the trio talked about anything from past memories of Olivia as a child to recapping the short trip. Olivia was feeling nostalgic as she rode backseat with her parents upfront. It reminded her of when she was a kid and the thought made her happy. Two hours into the journey they stopped at a rest stop so that Olivia could use the bathroom. Once she was finished they recommenced their journey. Their conversation continued animatedly and Olivia was laughing at a joke that her father cracked. The atmosphere was truly light and for once in a long time Olivia felt relaxed around her mother. She wasn't worried about what fool thing she had to say. It felt good, really good just to be in her presence without her casting judgment or snide remarks.

The faint sound of her phone chiming altered her of a new text message. She noticed that it was from Fitz and immediately clicked to open it. Since that morning they hadn't communicated with each other so she was anxious to receive a communication from him.

She clicked on the two-picture attachment included in the message and smiled at the images. One was of Jackson in a pair of green sunglasses, gray T-shirt, a black and green bracelet on his wrist that she wasn't familiar with and a brown straw fedora covering his dark brown curls while he blew bubbles. The picture was completely adorable with the bubble swarming around him. The other one was equally adorable, bordering on sexy. It was a shot of Fitz from the knees up with his head cut off and his hand out as though he was about to take something while the other hand was in his pocket. He also had on a gray T-shirt with his sunglasses hanging on the front of it and green shorts. Another message came in but this time in text form.

**Fitz: Your son took that scary picture of me.**

**Olivia: I could tell but I love it. You two look like you're having a good time.**

**Fitz: We are. The kids are getting to release butterflies or something like that so he's really excited. Should be fun. On your way home?**

**Olivia: Yep, three more hours to go. Can't wait to go lie down. My back is killing me :(**

**Fitz: Oh no… I'll give you a massage when I get in. ;)**

**Olivia: That's why I love you.**

**Fitz : Of course. I gotta go now babe. Love you.**

**Olivia: Love you too…**

She scrolled up to the pictures to view them again. Her heart was consumed and filled with so much love it was unexplainable. Each day that went by she prayed to God to make her a better person, a better wife, a better mother, a better daughter, a better friend and a better teacher. She wanted to live out her full purpose and love the people in her life the way that God intended for mankind to love each other. And despite of the shortcomings of people she was determined to keep it that way because her heart was full of love…

* * *

**Author's Note:** I believe that life is a gray area. I could easily write Jackie as a complete monster but I don't want to. I hope I portray that sometimes people who love you can also be the same people who belittles you. Fortunately, Jackie had a good moment in this chapter. As surprising and hard as it may be to believe the wonderful things she did for Olivia in this chapter came from her heart with no ill intentions, please know that she was earnest. Like one of my readers said, "Jackie loves Olivia but she doesn't know Olivia. She has her own idea of who Olivia should be." So let's hope Jackie will take the time to get to know the new Olivia and love her just the same.

So much kinda happened in this chapter so I'm anxious to read your reviews. What you thought about the conversation between Olivia and her cousins? What about Fitz and his dad? Don't forget to check out my Tumblr page **Kiki-Writes** if you want to see a glimpse of what little Jackson looks like. He's a cutie! Again, please review. I would appreciate it greatly.

Until next time,

XOXO


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